Miracles Happen
by ANimATion ImAgInAtIoN
Summary: Bruce and Natasha just got back from their honeymoon while the rest of the team welcome 'Antonia Vivian Stark' to their family. But is there such a thing as 'Happily Ever After' for a Black Widow and her 'Vrach? Is there reason to believe in miracles? *Part 3 of my Bruce/Natasha series. To be read after 'Moon River'. *Rating, Title and Image pending.*
1. Catch a Breath

**_A/N: Warning for descriptions of labor, delivery, and a public make out session. :)_**

* * *

"What a great idea Tony! Refurbish the entire floor while they're away on their honeymoon with your pregnant wife. Genius. I'm sure it's perfectly healthy for her to be moving stuff around and breathing in that smell of fresh paint."

Stark reaches over, shamelessly smacking Clint Barton upside his head;

"How about you stop whining so much and help me."

Pepper walks slowly into the room, clutching a few framed photographs;

"Don't worry about me Clint, all I'm doing is decorating."

He throws his head back when he hears Thor's booming voice echoing off of the walls;

"Have you requested my assistance Master Stark?"

He smirks, "Yes I have muscle boy, go help Steve move a few things around will you?"

Jane Foster smiles when Pepper stands behind her, admiring a few pictures they already put on display. Darcy comes running with the dog behind her, jumping onto the bed to escape his barking and shameless game of tag;

"Alex! Wait! Aunty Darcy needs to breathe you crazy pooch!"

The Anatolian Shepherd barks for her to get onto his level, tail wagging quick enough to knock into Pepper's hip. She smirks, leaning over as much as she can with her large belly to pet his head;

"You're a good boy Alex. Where's Darcy? Go get Darcy."

Darcy pants dramatically, running to chase him down the stairs;

"Okay crazy, let's go dog. Zoom zoom."

Jane laughs, "What's that?"

"His word for 'run'. What's cool is he does it on command because of it."

Tony pushes desk into the corner, glancing over the bedroom to make sure it meets his approval;

"It looks nice Pep. You do good work."

She crosses her arms, parking herself on the edge of their bed;

"Thanks. Jane and Darcy helped."

Steve lifts his eyebrows, shaking his head when he clarifies;

"Darcy helped keep the dog entertained."

Thor comes running in, cupped fist when his eyes light up;

"My friends! I have a wonderful surprise."

The CEO gives him a look, "I'm nervous, what's in your hand Thor."

Jane leans over cautiously, screaming when he exposes a small spider;

"Kill it!"

Stark laughs hysterically when Foster starts to flinch, jumping around as if she's covered with insects;

"Oh, that's priceless. JARVIS, you recording this?!"

Pepper squirms uncomfortably, more for the pain and odd sensation occurring in her lower belly. She jumps over what feels like a sharp kick, flicking her eyes up in Stark's direction;

"Tony...?"

Thor close his fist gently around his discovery, eyes focused on the woman in front of him;

"Lady Stark, have you taken ill?"

She lowers her head, focusing on her body;

"Tony the baby's coming."

He gives her a look, "Oh come on, it's just another false contraction-"

"I'm not kidding Tony, I am going to have this baby!"

His mouth drops open, still not believing her completely, "Pep?"

She heads out of the room, leaning on the wall for support;

"Either you take me to the hospital, or I'll drive myself!"

Tony catches her when she takes an extra step forward, watching her cringe, "Talk to me hon."

She shakes her head, "It just feels like a lot of pressure, it's not bad...oh Lord."

Rogers dashes forward, "Okay let's go."

Clint shakes his head, following behind them when he checks his phone;

"You guys go ahead, I'll stay back and wait for Nat."

Stark holds her up, eyes widening when she mumbles, "I think my water just broke."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Natasha smiles when she runs a hand through her hair, taking her time when she walks beside her husband through the small airport. She's content with Banner's gentle arm wrapped around her lower back. Natasha forces her balance onto the sides of her feet when they finally make it outside, waiting patiently for Happy to pick them up and take them back to the tower.

Bruce scoffs when he feels her phone buzzing;

"I liked not having that thing on for a week."

She smirks, "Me too. We should make one day of the week for just the two of us."

He nods, "Sure. Thursdays?"

"Sounds good. Hang on Bruce it's Clint; _Hi Clint, what's up?- Now?!- Uh...I guess- We'll be right there._"

His eyes narrow, rubbing her back when he sees Happy pull up seemingly just in time;

"What's wrong Natasha?"

She releases a sigh as if she wasn't ready to be thrown right back into reality so soon after her honeymoon;

"Everyone's at the hospital. Barton says she's going into labor."

He sighs as if he shares her same sentiment, taking her hand when they jump into the car;

"Come on."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tony leaps out of his chair when the couple walk in with Happy behind them, running to Bruce when he practically drags him along;

"Welcome back. Can you come in the room with me? Please? I want to make sure these dumb doctors do everything correctly."

Banner glances towards his red-haired wife as if to say 'I'm sorry', and ask for her permission. She smirks half-heartedly, kissing his cheek before a member of the hospital staff makes their way over to Tony;

"Mr. Stark? You're wife is looking for you."

Tony grips his friend's wrist, tugging him along when he follows the nurse.

Natasha wraps her arms around herself, closing her eyes to catch a breath and relive a moment of their peaceful time together. She smiles, too happy to hold a grudge for too long, even if little miss 'Antonia' ruined her plans of an evening for just the two of them.

Clint crosses his arms when he stands behind her;

"Well, welcome back to reality."

She nods, contorting her mouth, "At least we didn't get called for a mission."

"Did you have a nice time?"

"Yes."

Darcy leans over curiously, "Did you take pictures?"

Romanoff smiles when Jane leans over her opposite side;

"I want to hear everything."

Maria Hill strolls past the girls, as if she's making fun of Darcy's pattern of singing when she's happy or excited;

_"Tell me more, tell me more."_

Lewis smirks, not missing a beat;

_"How much dough did he spend?"_

Natasha shakes her head over her interrogation, watching Clint head over towards Maria;

"You showed up!"

Hill shrugs, parking herself in a chair before picking up a magazine;

"Surprised?"

"A little."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tony fixes his eyes on his wife, swallowing heavily when her screams echo off of the walls. The nurses try to console her, keeping her comfortable through her labor;

"Breathe Mrs. Stark, it's okay."

She pants, feeling Tony brush his hand over her forehead;

"You're doing great honey, I'm right here. Bruce is with me so you'll be fine."

Banner holds his head, over the comment, eyes vague when his heart starts to drop over the scene for a number of reasons. He pinches himself, refocusing on Pepper after glancing at a few of her monitors. He mumbles, unable to control his tongue whether it was his place or not;

"Why isn't she pushing?...She's at 10 centimeters right? Is that what you're doing?"

Stark glances over his shoulder, eyes wide as if he's silently asking him to step in or just take over. The young nurses give the dark-haired physician a look, begging him for help.

Bruce glances up at the ceiling, eyes full when he wonders how he always gets dragged into painful situations. He frantically takes a spot beside the nurses, coaching them through the process. He mumbles, frustrated with the hired help;

"Oh come on, what'd you go to school for? Push Pepper."

She shrills over a contraction, wanting so badly to throw Tony's hand from off her shoulder. A nurse looks up at Bruce mouthing a question she has mid-process. Her eyes widen, visibly afraid of making the wrong move.

He nods patiently, paying close attention to her every move. He lifts a hand to stop her from urging Pepper to push again realizing she's not ready after the typical count to ten. he waits until she's as comfortable as she's going to get before continuing;

"Now Pepper."

Banner gently coaches her with his soft voice and gentle touch, paying close attention to the look on her face and her body's reaction to the process. He feels like he's sweating bullets, nervously looking out for both mother and baby. Pepper moans, beyond exhausted;

"I'm so tired Bruce."

He contorts his mouth, gently rubbing her knee, "Just a little longer Pepper. Hang on."

Tony swallows hard, gripping her shoulder a little tighter when she shrills;

"Hang on honey, it's okay."

She scoffs coldly, "Yeah, that's easy for you to say! God it hurts!"

Bruce glances back at her eyes just as reassuring as his tone;

"Look at me Pepper, breathe."

He coaches her through it, getting back to 'work' when her muscles relax a little more. The youngest member of her inexperienced team looks up with a smile after a few more minutes;

"I can see a head!"

Bruce smirks over her excitement, watching Tony's eyes glow with nervous anticipation. Banner waits for the baby to struggle her arms free before pushing Stark in between the nurses. A smile spreads over Tony's face when he holds the hands of his little girl with a little help from Bruce. He bites his lip, feeling a tear slip down his cheek when he calls to his wife;

"Oh my God Pepper!"

The nurses help Stark lay his baby over Pepper's sore abdomen, calling to the poor mother;

"Congratulations on your daughter Mrs. Stark."

Tony runs to his wife, planting a big kiss over her mouth;

"I'm so proud of you."

She laughs, relieved it's all over;

"Yeah yeah. I'm exhausted."

Bruce watches carefully while the team performs their routine examination on both mother and baby, wanting so badly to just go home with his wife and relax over a cup of warm tea.

Stark's eyes follow his daughter carefully, smiling while Pepper holds his hand through the rest of the process;

"She's beautiful Pepper. Are you okay?"

She smirks, "Great. Just very tired."

The nurses give Banner a huge smile, knowing he just saved their jobs. One of them bravely whispers to him;

"That was our first labor. We just got out of college."

Banner nods cautiously;

"Well, I think you should probably observe a few more before attempting one on your own. Okay?"

"Okay. Oh, Mrs. Stark, are you up to nursing?"

Pepper rolls her eyes, just wanting to curl up with her newborn and sleep. She laughs it off when she opens her arms to hold her baby correctly, nodding towards the young girl;

"Sure, why not? Come here Antonia."

Tony shakes his head, admiring his daughter when he addresses the physicist;

"Am I just be partial or is she the prettiest baby you ever laid eyes on?"

Bruce smirks;

"She's cute Tony. Feisty little thing."

"Yeah?"

"Wonder where she gets it from."

"Her mother."

Stark snaps his pictures, getting a look from Pepper when she grits her teeth;

"Get that phone away from me."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Natasha tip toes her way into the room when they call for their visitors, biting her lip when she sees the baby in Tony's arms. Pepper smiles when she sees the red-head;

"Natasha, how are you?"

She smirks, hands laid across her abdomen as if she could 'feel' her pain;

"Forget me, how are you doing?"

She chuckles, "Better. Tony turn around so she can see the baby."

'Daddy' has a grin over his face when he shows off his daughter;

"She's got her mommy's hair and my eyes."

Clint curiously looks over Natasha's shoulder;

"Okay, that thing is cute."

An almost devious smirk spreads over Tony's face when he looks at his friend;

"Okay Uncle Brucey, your turn."

Banner lifts his head from off the wall, hands still shoved into his pockets;

"Tony I-"

He can barely say a word before Stark leaves the baby in his arms. Pepper smirks, watching the way he skillfully holds her child. Stark crosses his arms, half-way hoping the girl would keep carrying on the way she did for him. He shakes his head sarcastically when Bruce manages to stop her from crying almost instantly.

Her tiny eyes look up at him, clearly comfortable in his gentle hold and calm demeanor. He talks to her softly, using his thumb to dry a stray tear from her initial fit when Tony was holding her. He smirks, lock over his eye when he glances at the engineer;

"What did Daddy do to you?"

His eyes narrow sarcastically, "Excuse me?"

"It's okay Sweety, he makes me mad too."

"Okay, Uncle Bruce is bad association. I will not be made the enemy."

He whispers playfully back at the baby, "Daddy's just jealous we're friends already."

Natasha smiles, staying close to Banner when Pepper makes her comment;

"You know your husband lead our birthing team. Damn nurses had no clue what they were doing."

Tony nods in a agreement;

"Seriously. And thanks for not hulking out halfway through."

The physician gives him a look before brushing the light hair from off the baby's forehead. Romanoff shifts her focus between Antonia and Bruce, swallowing hard when she sees how his eyes seem to soften over the child in his arms. She closes her eyes to take a deep breath, watching the way both Tony and Pepper seem to be glowing.

Stark gives Natasha a wink;

"Give your wife a turn Doc."

Bruce glances over at the red-head, eyes wide when she subtly but firmly shakes her head 'no'.

Stark reaches out to take his baby when Bruce gently hands her to him, already urging Natasha to hold out her arms. Banner's eyes go wide, knowing the red-head's bound to kill the engineer for forcing it on her;

"Tony she's not feeling good."

Stark waves his hand after 'abandoning' Antonia in Romanoff's arms;

"So she'll develope an immune system."

Natasha's heart drops immediately when she holds the child, whispering to her husband for a little help;

"I've never held a newborn before."

He sighs with a grin, moving her elbow up just a little;

"Support her head Natasha."

"Like that?"

"Yep. You've got it."

She loses her smile, focused on the baby in her arms when she curls up to nuzzle into her. Natasha looks up when she sees Pepper take a picture;

"I'm sorry, you look cute with a baby in between you."

Clint puckers his lips on the sidelines, covering his forehead when he catches a glimpse of her sharp green eyes that seemed to spell out 'death'. Bruce rubs her shoulder consolingly, getting her to calm down and soften her focus. He whispers to her before biting his cheek;

"You alright?"

She shakes her head 'no' a second time, ready to throw up over her conflicting emotions. She hands the baby back to Pepper with a smile before standing beside the physicist with a straight face;

"I need air, or a walk...or a drink. Something strong."

Banner nods, taking the hint, "Well let's, stay away from the liquor okay? You know how I feel about that."

She nods, regretting her comment when she sees the look on his face, "Can we walk then?"

He lays a hand over her upper back before glancing over his shoulder;

"We'll be right back Tony."

Stark gives him a wave when the couple discreetly make their way out the door;

"Have fun."

Pepper cuddles her child, kissing the top of her head before looking at her husband;

"Are they alright?"

He shrugs, "Bruce said she wasn't feeling good. Maybe she's prego herself."

Pepper gives him a look, as if she's ready to kill him. He shrugs;

"What?! It happens."

Steve Rogers shakes his head with an eye roll, "Or maybe she's exhausted from their trip."

Clint chimes in, watching Maria scoop up Antonia from out of the corner of his eye;

"Exactly. Give 'em a day or two, they'll be fine."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Natasha walks quietly, shoving her hands into her pockets while she keeps to herself. Bruce contorts his mouth when he sees her blank look, clearly in no mood for conversation based on how tightly her jaw was set.

He releases a sigh, not wanting to get into her personal space or rub her the wrong way;

"I can't read minds you know."

She scoffs with a subtle grin, "I know."

He smirks when he sees her expression change, nudging into her side. She smirks a little wider over his playful push, moving to nudge him back. He gives her a sideways glance, watching her seemingly waiting to be pushed back.

Bruce rolls his tongue over his cheek, scooping her into his arms before blowing warm air over the side of her neck. She giggles when he tickles her sides, big smile over her face when she squirms in his gentle hold. He loves her smile and the way she laughs.

Natasha shakes her head pressing his back into the side of a building for playful revenge. She grips his wrist, pinning his hands over his head to prevent him from tickling her. She lifts her eyebrows with a coy smile over her face slowly pressing her mouth against his. She intertwines her fingers in-between his, slowly letting their arms drop to their sides while their lips stay busy.

Bruce tenderly wraps his arms around her waist to pull her close to him, brushing her hair behind her ear;

"Talk to me."

She shrugs, scoffing when she lowers her focus;

"Later."

"Promise me."

Natasha takes his hand from her cheek, giving him a wink as she carefully slides it over her shoulder and down her side;

"I promise."

He shakes his head with an eye roll, biting his lip before tilting her head to kiss her neck. Her eyes close, wrapping her hand around the back of his head to keep him where he is. She exhales softly, smile on her face when he goes back to her mouth. She lifts her thigh over his hip, feeling his quick hand catch underneath her knee.

The couple chuckle when a man walks by, mumbling to himself loud enough for them to hear;

"Get a room please? There's a nice hotel across the street."

They stammer to pull away, realizing their current audience doesn't approve of such public affection. Natasha brushes herself off inconspicuously when Bruce talks for the both of them;

"Sorry Sir, we're okay."

She smirks when Bruce intertwines their fingers, lifting the back of her hand up to his lips. Natasha leans into him when they start to walk back, laying her head over his shoulder just to be closer to him. Natasha closes her eyes, feeling him kiss her head. She knew this was the way love was supposed to feel, content and happy with her husband beside her.

* * *

**A/N: If you're a new reader, Hi! Welcome. Please leave a review. :)**

If you have questions, feel free to ask and I'll bring you up to speed.

**If you're one of my loyal minions, I'm so happy you've returned for Part 3! *hugs* :D **


	2. Colors And Promises

**_A/N: Yaye! I was so happy to read all of your reviews! Please keep them coming. I had such a good turn out as far as views is concerned. Thank you so much everyone! :D_**

**__****_*Chapter Warning for adult content.*_**

* * *

**_RFK22: _**_Hello my friend. :) lol...it's true though! The woman does like, all the work as far as babies are concerned. Kind of sucks really. But I'd imagine having a really supportive, considerate, and patient husband/boyfriend helps a ton. More about there 'perfect' honeymoon in this chapter. :)_

**_Tokyolove: _**_Thank you so much for reviewing even though it was really late. Your comments mean a lot to me. Thank you. _

**_Irishbrneyes: _**_lol, 'Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night.' Thank you thank you thank you! :)_

**_KO-rka: _**_Aww. I'm honored. :) Banner Baby? They'd love to. This chapter explains that a little. (And I'm glad you like the picture of them holding hands.) :D_

**_ecotiger: _**_lol. What part do you have in your play? I'm not a Grease fan personally, but I like that song. 'Summer Nights'. Thanks for the compliments. :)_

* * *

Pepper's eyes have been closed for the past 20 minutes, having struggled to stay awake for the past hour and a half. Tony sits in his chair at her side, leaning his chin on the hell of his hand while he tries not to fall asleep himself.

Maria Hill contorts her mouth sympathetically when Stark's eyes start to droop;

"Aww. You guys are exhausted."

Barton smirks, glancing over at Steve when he automatically hands his keys to the Captain;

"We should get going. Nat, you need a ride?"

She nods, sitting next to Bruce. Banner gives him a nod, glasses slipped down his nose with Antonia fast asleep in his arms. Romanoff brushes her tiny forehead before giving her a gentle kiss over her tiny eyes;

"The nurses will watch her overnight?"

Bruce nods, taking his glasses off to shove them in his front pocket with his free hand;

"Yep. They can probably come home tomorrow."

She smirks, watching his eyes shift back down to the newborn curled up in his tender hold. She rests her elbow over his shoulder when she closes her eyes for a second, hearing a nurse hover over her side;

"You guys ready to go home."

Bruce smiles, standing up to carefully hand the baby over to her;

"I wrote everything up in their charts so you shouldn't have to worry about the details."

She nods, "Thank you. Are you sure we can't do anything for you?"

"Positive. Just take care of them for me."

Natasha clasps her fingers giving Tony a look when he mumbles;

"Don't forget to lock the door when you get home. And shut my lab light, I think I left it on..."

She contorts her mouth, stealing an extra blanket from off the edge of Pepper's bed to drape it over the billionaire's shoulders;

"Shut up you'll wake up Pepper. Goodnight."

Bruce shakes his head when he watches Natasha's sweet manuever, watching Stark's eyes flick up in his direction;

"Goodnight Bruce."

He rolls his eyes over his slurred speech, holding the door for his wife, "Goodnight Tony."

The red-head is quick to take up his hand the instant they get into the hallway. He gives her a sideways glance, still trying to figure her out;

"You've been in quite a few hospitals lately huh?"

She smirks, "More than I would've liked."

"You holding up okay?"

She shrugs, running a hand through her hair;

"It's getting _a little_ easier. I guess the more your exposed to fears the easier it is to overcome them. Like, when Clint was in the circus he was in charge of a horse that was afraid of paper; So took him to a ticket tape parade."

He shakes his head, chuckling over her straight-faced remark. She grins when she sees him trying to hide his smirk;

"Got over his fear."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Natasha bites her cheek when she looks at her phone, skimming through a few pictures when she hears a knock on her door frame. Clint stands behind Maria when she smiles;

"Are you busy Natasha? Can we come in?"

She rolls her eyes, trying not to laugh over Barton's dramatic pouting;

"Fine! Make yourselves at home."

Romanoff rolls Alex onto his back to make room for Maria to sit on the bed beside her while Clint pulls up a chair, greedily rubbing his hands together;

"Where's the Doc?"

"Cleaning the lab with Steve and Thor."

"Oh. Okay."

She narrows her focus, "Where are you going?"

Clint freezes, halfway to the door;

"To catch up with the boys...?"

"Get over here."

Barton bites his lip, smirking when Natasha struggles to hold a straight face;

"You want my company Nat?"

"_Duh!_ Sit down Birdy Boy."

"I feel so loved."

"Don't get used to it."

Hill quickly pins her hair up in a high bun, talking with a hair clip in her mouth;

"Where are the pictures? I want to see pictures."

Barton widens his eyes, leaning forward curiously;

"Ooh, pictures. Where are they Tasha."

Natasha rolls her eyes dramatically, "I have a few on my phone. Hold on, I'll start from the beginning."

He chuckles, "Jane and Darcy are going to be mad we saw them first."

Maria reaches over her friend's nightstand to steal from Romanoff's belongs, dropping a dime-sized amount of hand-lotion over her fingertips before crossing her legs;

"If you snooze you lose. So where did you guys go again?"

Natasha hands her phone to Clint first;

"We spent two days at Tony's place in Malibu, and then to Russia. Stark got us a nice hotel and everything, but it was too short. Especially because half the time was spent traveling."

Maria nods, waiting patiently while Clint takes his time to scroll through;

"Did you do anything exciting?"

Natasha scoffs, "Well, I was sick for most of the trip."

Barton shakes his head, "Are you kidding?"

Her eyes lower, puffing her cheek when she answers, "Nope."

Maria shakes her head, "So you spent your honeymoon in a doctor's office."

"No, Bruce took care of me. I knew I didn't feel right on the plane so I told him to sleep on the couch and to just stay away from me for the next 12 hours. Well my _Vrach_ doesn't like to listen; So he was busy making me soup, giving me massages, checking my temperature, making me drink this nasty tea and held my hair when I threw up."

Hill sticks out her bottom lip, "That's so sad. Did you head down to the beach at all?"

"For about 8 minutes,' she mumbles to Maria, 'But then I got my 'friend' and that was the end of that."

"Oh no..."

"And then I was stuck with really bad period cramps."

Clint gives her a look, cringing over her comment, "Okay! T.M.I."

Maria shakes her head, "You guys need a redo."

Natasha smirks, eyes vague when she refocuses downward;

"I mean we still had fun. I liked curling up in bed with him to watch a movie or, sitting out on the balcony to watch the sunset. We got to take a few walks on the beach at night so, I did get some nice pictures there. But it was nice just to escape reality. And when we got to Russia we were able to do more."

Barton nudges her with his knee, turning the phone around to show her a picture of the two of them lip-locked on the beach in Malibu;

"Nice sweatshirt look cute. And he didn't catch your cold after all the 'loving'?"

Natasha swipes her finger across the screen to move onto the next picture with her cheeks flushed bright pink;

"Don't humiliate me Clint, cause I look like crap. And no, there wasn't very much 'loving'. I shouldn't have kissed him as much as I did but, he wasn't so smart for kissing me either."

Maria smirks, leaning over to get a sneak preview of her photographs;

"Let me see Barton...Aww. You guys look adorable."

"You don't have to be kind. I've known you long enough for blunt honesty."

Barton nods, swiping his finger to the next image, "Your skin is ghostly pale-"

Romanoff runs a hand through her hair, "-That sounds accurate."

"But you still look like the happiest woman on the planet when Banner's with you."

She gives him a crooked smirk, "Because I am."

Maria releases a gentle sigh, "Take care of that boy, he's a rare find."

"I try my best."

"Uh, no Maria, he needs to take care of Natasha."

She rolls her eyes, "He does enough Barton, please. I'm in so much 'debt' it's not even funny. Like for crying out loud, I haven't bought him a God damn thing."

Hill scoffs, "He doesn't seem to care."

"That's my _Vrach_. Gives everything and expects nothing."

Clint huffs out a laugh, "I like your face in this one."

He turns the phone so she can have a look, watching her smile with approval;

"Oh, I was trying to make Bruce laugh. I've learned he's not very cooperative for the camera."

Maria holds out her hand to steal the phone from Barton;

"My turn Clint, hurry up."

"Take it easy Hill, I'm in Russia now so just wait."

Natasha glances up towards the open door when Bruce walks in, heading to his side of the room to dig through the drawers she's been letting him 'rent'. He gives her a smile, after he sees Clint with her phone;

"Showing off pictures?"

She smirks, "Both of them."

He shakes his head, "You took a lot Natasha."

"I would've liked more."

Maria follows the physicist with her big eyes, watching him walk to the opposite end of Natasha's bed to pet Alex and kiss his wife.

The red-head taps an open space after pulling Alex closer to her lap. The dog doesn't flinch when she pulls him, stuck in a deep sleep and content with his 'family' around him;

"Sit _Vrach_."

Maria throws her legs over the edge, "I'll move."

Bruce slides in the open space Natasha cleared for him looking back at Maria;

"No you're fine."

Barton rolls his eyes, walking to the opposite end of their bed to sit in front of Maria. Hill whines when he leans on her dramatically;

"Barton!"

He chuckles, "Sorry, I was feeling left out."

Natasha gives him a look, petting her dog whose rested his head on her knee;

"There's no need to sit on her Clint, there's plenty of room."

The archer sits up straighter, handing the phone to Maria. She snatches it from him, taking her time to scroll through the pictures;

"Thank you so much for starting me up at the beginning Clint, it's very kind of you."

"What? You said I was taking too long."

Natasha glares at her 'baby' when he barks, his sharp eyes fixed on Maria;

"Alex! Stop it."

Clint whips his head around, "What happened?"

The red-head hugs her dog, letting him lick her cheek when he's calm;

"He doesn't like it when people argue."

Hill lifts her eyebrows, "Well excuse me."

Barton smirks, reaching out his hand to give him a rub-down;

"We weren't arguing buddy. We're not Pepper and Tony."

Maria bites her cheek, giving Natasha a look, "Speaking of Stark, what's the kid's name?"

She smiles, at the reaction her friend has given her already, "Antonia Vivian Stark."

Bruce smirks when he sees the blank look on Maria's face. She shifts her focus to the physicist when she sees him smile;

"Are they kidding?"

Banner lifts his eyebrows, "Oh no, they're very serious."

Barton makes a face, practically cringing, "How do you give her a nickname? Can we call her Tonya? Toni wouldn't work because they'd both turn around."

Natasha shrugs, "What about Annie or Anna."

Clint nods, "Anna works."

Maria shakes her head, still stuck on the name;

"You guys, please just promise me you'll pick normal names when you're turn comes. There's nothing wrong with 'Lisa', 'John', or 'Mary'. And if you want to go Russian, just make sure we can pronounce it."

Bruce keeps his brown orbs fixed on his wife, watching her stare shift down on an angle and go almost blank the second Maria opened her mouth. Her hand idly rubs over her dog while her mind runs in a million different directions, completely unaware of everyone else around her.

He's ready to open his mouth and evict the company until Hill nudges her, watching her expression change almost immediately.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jane taps her foot, parked comfortably on the couch in between Steve and Thor while Darcy fiddles with her iPod on the opposite end of Steve;

"Come on guys, you know this one."

Jane shakes her head, slapping her forehead, "Oh! _Band on the Run_."

Darcy nods, swiping her finger after giving Steve a nudge;

"Big points Rogers. Come on, you're 30 behind Thor."

Steve smiles when he hears it;

"Glenn Miller _Little Brown Jug_."

She squeals, giving him a high-five, "Yaye!"

Thor contorts his mouth, leaning forward to look at Darcy;

"Lady Darcy, of what does a 'brown jug' have to do with just instrumental sounds?"

Jane turns to face him, "It's just the name of a song. They don't always have words."

"Oh I see."

Bruce keeps his head low when he heads to the kitchen, trying to stifle a yawn. He heads into the cabinet to get Natasha's mug and warm up a fresh cup of coffee for her, shaking his head when he sees the four-some huddled on the couch together;

"Are you guys comfortable?"

Darcy wraps her arms around Steve's, "We're okay. Maybe if Jane wants to get up-"

She chuckles, "Hey..."

Thor smirks, quickly scooping up Miss Foster into his lap to give Darcy more space;

"Has your comfort level improved?"

Jane keeps her arms wrapped around his neck, answering before Darcy has a chance;

"Mine has."

Lewis contorts her mouth, "Hey Doc? You making coffee?"

"Yes, you want a cup?"

"Please?"

"No problem."

He hears footsteps behind him after leaving a mug out for Thor's friends, smirking when he feels gentle arms wrap around him from the back. Natasha presses her cheek in between his shoulder blades, feeling his gentle muscles through a typical button-down. She gives him a light squeeze before letting him go, jumping up to sit on the counter. She crosses her ankles, swinging them lightly when she looks down at him;

"We need to reschedule our date."

He nods, watching her slender fingers toy lightly at her wedding band and engagement ring;

"Thursday?"

She tilts her head, eyes up when she thinks;

"Maybe Friday? I have to stop and see Fury this Thursday...nothing major I promise."

Bruce barely lets her finish before his head is pressed against her chest with his arms wrapped around her waist. She shakes her head over his move;

"_Vrach?_"

He mumbles, thinking she'll accuse him of not listening to her;

"Friday because you have plans with Fury on Thursday."

Natasha plants a kiss over his head;

"Oh honey, I wasn't-I know you heard me,' she whispers after slipping her finger under his chin to make him look up, 'Come here Love."

"We still need to talk."

"We will, later."

She smirks when she plants a kiss over the side of her neck, wrapping her arm around his when she catches a quick glimpse of her quiet audience. Natasha doesn't care personally, so she wraps her legs around his waist to just pull him closer.

Bruce feels safe and trusting in her arms, confident that she'd never hurt him. And he hopes that Natasha feels just as secure. He nuzzles her warm skin, gentle scent and tender touch practically driving him insane. She knew he had to be frustrated from all of her 'teasing', having denied him of a little intimacy since before their wedding due to circumstances beyond her control.

He feels his body tremble out of a little fear, practically jumping when he, hears Darcy give a chuckle behind him. Natasha gives Steve a look when he heads into the kitchen, with no intention of letting him loose.

_If he only knew how much work it took her to get Bruce where he was!_;

"Can I help you?"

Rogers shakes his head, "Well, if you don't mind taking this, 'thing', upstairs. We'd appreciate it."

Banner bites his lip, hands pressed into the counter when his cheeks flush a bright red;

"Sorry Steve."

Natasha rolls her eyes before Steve can reply, cupping Bruce's face with both of her hands to press her mouth against his no matter whose watching. Bruce rolls his eyes, giving into her sweet affection as if he could do nothing but melt over her touch.

Rogers shakes his head when he realizes Romanoff has her own agenda;

"Forget it. We'll move."

Natasha whispers to her husband when they break for air;

"Should we move this upstairs?"

He moans, lips pressed against hers, hoping she'll be just as gentle and patient as she was the first time;

"Yes. Steve's getting mad."

Rogers lets them slip past after pressing his back against the counter;

"I'll watch your coffee...?"

Jane smirks, watching the couple barely let the elevator door close before throwing their arms around each other. Thor jumps when he hears Natasha giggle from inside the elevator, slightly mortified;

"Has Lady Romanoff lost her mind?"

Jane chuckles, "No, they're in love Thor."

"Yes but I have never seen her so gleeful. And our physician smiles?!"

Darcy laughs, "Yes Thor, they're happy together."

Steve contorts his mouth, digging through the refrigerator;

"I just wish they'd learn time and place."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Natasha giggles when he flips her over, smiling when he kiss down her bare neck;

_"Vrach!"_

He's gentle when he holds her, always giving her enough freedom to run should the need arise. He smirks when she flicks a lock out of his eye, climbing on top of him after they switch places for what felt like the twentieth time. She can't help but tickle him now that she's on top, exploiting her advantage after pinning his arms over his head. She rubs a finger over his forearm;

"You have it?"

He stops for a second, making the connection when he nods towards her night-stand;

"Top drawer. I should have a loaded syringe."

She nods, holding it gently between her fingers. Natasha carefully extends his arm in front of her, rolling her forefinger gently over a vein. He sighs;

"I'll do it Natasha."

She shakes her head, "I've got you Bruce, don't worry. Breathe Love."

He barely feels her stick the needle into his arm, sedative kicking in almost instantly. Romanoff brushes a hand through his hair, never liking this idea to begin with. She kisses his eyelids once they close and lets him have a few more seconds to breathe and adjust to the chemicals she shot up his arm. He whispers with a smirk, seeing the worried look over his face;

"I'm alright."

Natasha tenderly plants a kiss over his mouth, straddled over his hips;

"You ready _Vrach_?"

He nods, still extremely timid and a little unsure, but much more trusting. He gives her a smile before he whispers, caught up in her pretty green eyes;

"I love you Natasha."

She presses her nose against his, whispering before she starts to move gently, always careful with her fragile husband;

"I love you Bruce."

Natasha lays a hand over his chest to watch his pesky heartbeat, scanning his tan skin one more time to ensure there's no hint of green. She bites her lip, feeling him wrap his hands around her lower back for comfort. She whispers a countdown she started from the beginning, giving him time to take another deep breath;

"One..."

He smirks, gently rubbing her back;

"Two..."

"Three..."

Romanoff was shocked when he switched places with her, giving Natasha more of an oppertunity to relax. As was typical for them, they stayed close enough to feel each other's heartbeat moving only just enough for it to count. They focus more on each other then themselves, spending most of the time double checking to make sure the other party is alright with what they're doing in between their gentle kisses.

She chuckles when he tickles her, swapping places with him out of 'revenge'. Natasha smirks when she gets him to laugh, tilting her head when she realizes she's back underneath her husband, watching him gently lean forward to kiss her. Romanoff closes her eyes, inhaling his comforting cologne that tenders to linger. She loves being so close to him and feeling his tender arms wrapped around her almost protectively. Natasha tugs at his ear, biting her lip through a smile before running her fingers back through his thick hair to keep him comfortable. Her heart jumps when she hears him whisper;

"You're perfect Natasha."

She smirks, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist;

"_Vrach_, _lyubov moy_."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tony lingers in his kitchen, taking a few minutes to catch a breath while watching the clock with anxious anticipation to get back to the hospital. His eyes flick sideways when he sees his rumpled physicist walk in, contorting his expression when he coughs to get his attention;

"Where'd you sleep last night Banner?"

His eyes sharpen just in time for his eyelids to droop. He tugs at his messy attempt to control his light curls before sitting at the table beside his friend. Bruce covers his face, wondering what must have inspired him to get up so early when all his body wanted to do was shut down. He mumbles;

"In Natasha's room."

Stark lowers his eyebrows;

"No one told you about the room upstairs?"

Bruce releases a heavy sigh, figuring he'd lay his forehead on his arms for just two more minutes;

"I- No. What's upstairs?"

"Well you might as well just wait now. I'll show you later."

Tony sips his coffee, playfully messing at his friends hair;

"Long night?"

Bruce mumbles over the hand of the engineer, much stronger against his pounding head then Romanoff's soothing touch;

"Tony!"

"Where's Mrs. Banner."

He sighs, checking the clock before getting up to start fixing her breakfast;

"She's coming."

"You alright?"

Bruce smirks, looking in Stark's direction;

"I've never been better, I'm just very tired."

"You never told me about your honeymoon. Is my house a mess?"

He shakes his head, looking over a recipe for Natasha's favorite raspberry danishes;

"No, I left everything clean. Natasha was sick almost the whole week."

Tony crosses his arms, half-frown on his face;

"What'd you do?"

"Nothing she caught it on the plane."

"To Russia?"

"To Malibu."

He nods, "Well that sucks. What did she have?"

"I don't know. Probably just a virus, but it stole all her energy. Poor kid was stuck in bed for a few days."

Tony lifts his eyebrows, "Oooh. I see."

Bruce gives him a look, "No, you don't. I held her hair back while she threw up.' he smirks, eager to see Tony's reaction, 'Slept on the couch, rubbed her feet. She got a little cranky when she got her cycle-"

"I don't want to know!"

"Good. Want to help me make her breakfast?"

"Not really. I'm running back out to the hospital soon."

"By yourself?"

He shrugs, "You want to come?"

Bruce contorts his mouth, "I'm going to wait for Natasha. Why don't you ask Steve? He's up."

Tony gives him a look, stealing an apple from the basket on the side of the counter;

"You're much more interesting then 'Steve', but I'll ask."

He smirks, snatching up his papers when he sees Romanoff walk in. There were very few things one could hide from the billionaire, and the glow in her cheeks was not one of them. He gives her an eyebrow wiggle when he whispers;

"Morning Little Red."

She folds her arms, "Morning. Why aren't you at the hospital?"

"I'm going."

She rolls her eyes, sitting at the table before checking her phone. She smirks when she sees her physician cooking for her;

"_Vrach, _you don't have to."

"No, but I want to."

She stands beside him, snatching up a knife to cut up her raspberries;

"You uh, have something on your mind?"

He smirks, looking back at her;

"I do actually, it's about you."

She huffs out a laugh, lifting her eyebrows cautiously, "Me huh...? Well that's good because I have something I want to talk to you about as well."

He nods, "Typically I'd say 'ladies first' but I need to know you're alright."

"I'm alright."

"What's got you all upset?"

She shrugs, typical unreadable expression over her face;

"Nothing I'm perfectly content."

Bruce rolls his eyes, "I know you better than that."

The red-head freezes with her mincing, throwing a hand on her hip;

"I'm fine, why are you asking me?"

"Because, you're zoning out a bit more often. Lately it only happens when someone brings up a certain topic."

Her hands go cold, eyes vague the instant she makes a connection;

"Bruce?"

"Yeah."

"That's why I kind of- Look at me for a second."

He complies, eyes almost sarcastic when he waits for an answer. She shrugs cautiously when she sees the look on his face, still hesitant to tell him. She laughs, rubbing her forehead;

"I know this sounds, crazy, but I'm a little jealous of Tony and Pepper-Because, of Antonia-She's a beautiful little girl and don't get me wrong I love her already it, just. You know."

Bruce turns to face her, gnawing at his cheek when his eyes soften. Natasha uses her hands out of nervousness, finding it hard to express her feelings. Her eyes shift between the floor her husband and the ceiling when she keeps her voice extremely low, trying to sound unaffected as she talks about it;

"The thing is, I really love you. And being with you has made me a much more compassionate individual. I wish I could give you what Tony has, what you've always wanted. I wish things were different, that's all."

His eyes stay fixed on hers, watching her bright green orbs fill with a glassy finish;

"Natasha, when you told me you couldn't, I told you it wouldn't bother me and I meant it. I love you just the same "

She shrugs, biting at her lower lip, "But there's a part of me that still wants to try, even if I already know it's impossible, it would just ease my conscience...I want to nurture something with you and I feel so- Sometimes, lately- I feel...like, I'm not normal. I feel like I'm half of a woman? Like I'm different and, all I want to do is give you a family."

Bruce takes up her hand with his left, gently brushing her cheek with his right;

"Natasha honey, please. You are my family. You mean more to me then anything else in this world. I don't care about what Tony has, I have you in my life. You're all I ever wanted Natasha. You're a beautiful woman with a lot to offer so don't think any less of yourself. You are perfectly normal Natasha, and you're talking to someone who understands what it's like to struggle with something that's beyond your control. I'm here for you Natasha and I'll always be."

She nods, biting her lip to hold back her tears. He was all she could've asked for but no matter how comforting he was, how helpful he could've been at that moment, her mind was still racing;

"You mean the world to me Bruce, and if all we'll ever have is the two of us I'd still be the happiest woman in the world. I just- really want to try, it would make me feel a lot better about myself."

He shakes his head, gently rubbing at her fingers;

"Honey, I understand how badly this whole things is effecting you, but I'm not comfortable with this."

"Why?"

"Well, the radiation for one thing. I don't know how it would effect you, or the baby."

"You're niece is okay."

He sighs, "My cousin Jennifer has less than %3 percent of what I have running through my body. And I've never met my niece personally so I can't tell you if she's really 'okay'. And what about you? Natasha, can you even consider having my child?"

"We won't know unless we try. Bruce I'm sure we can try _something_. Come on, more 'loving' wouldn't hurt-"

"Once a month Natasha, the maximum. And I'm not even so sure sure I can handle that, last night came close-"

"I stuck you too late, that's all."

"Please Natasha we talked about this. We can't afford anything else."

"Your levels are so minimal-"

"They are there."

"I'm a tough girl with a strong immunity, I can handle it."

He shakes his head, eyes low with his mind racing in a million different directions;

"Honey, I don't want to talk about this right now."

"I could go for tests, finally figure out what's wrong with me. I'll get a surgery-"

"I understand how you feel, but I don't think it's safe-"

"It wouldn't hurt, I'm sure I've been through a lot worse stabbing at my ovaries"

"Natasha!"

"It'll be easy, they just slice me down the middle-"

"No one's going to cut you open!"

Natasha freezes, only stopping due to the hint of green in his expressive brown orbs. She bites her lip, rubbing his hands compassionately when his head lowers;

"It's okay. Don't freak out on me."

He swallows hard, regretting raising his voice at her;

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Natasha tilts her head, seeing him visible distraught over arguing with her. She brushes the lock out of his eye, whispering gently when she feels him trembling;

"Bruce, it's okay. I know you're just looking out after me. But I'm a brave girl."

He nods, eyes shut tight;

"I know...I know you are. But I get nervous Natasha. If something goes wrong..."

"Answer me one question _Vrach_, honestly; Do you want children?"

"Natasha, I-"

"Yes or no, because I know what I see."

He shakes his head, trying not to burst out in tears. He thought it would be selfish to remind her how he really felt, how badly he missed the ones he lost;

"Of course I do. You'd be a great mom Natasha..but if something happens...I don't want you to go through that. And you'd be disappointed...I just love you so much-"

She sighs, laying a hand over his cheek when she bites her lip to blink over her own glossy stare;

"Oh Bruce."

"I shouldn't be telling you what to do Natasha and I'm sorry. I'm not thinking clearly right now,' he sighs, brushing her cheek with his thumb, 'This really means that much to you?"

She nods, holding his hand over her cheek. He bites at his cheek;

"Then I'll do anything I can for you, just, promise me you won't do anything before talking to me about it; I know I don't like the idea of surgery."

Natasha smirks, tilts her head to kiss his gentle fingers, "What if we give it a good whole-hearted two months and, if nothing happens, then we'll explore other options. And I won't hold anything against you if it doesn't happen, I swear. I'm not like Betty. But I really feel like, I don't know. I believe in miracles."

"Natasha- I just, your safety needs to be the priority. Deal?

She nods hesitantly;

"As far as procedures go? Deal. I won't do anything without your consent I swear. The one thing that matters to me _Vrach_, is us. No matter what I will always love you. Just promise me the same."

He sighs, feeling her wrap her arms back around him, laying her head against his chest. He clutches her a little tighter, brushing the back of her head;

"I promise."


	3. Skyscraper

**_A/N: Thanks for reading everyone! I'd love to know what you think. :)_**

**_RFK22: Thank you my friend! :D The hulk needs to come out and speak for himself and he will...Aw, I know you'll find someone like her. Don't give up. :) I hope to reflect those qualities one day, Patient, caring, admirable, and loving with my 'Vrach'. So, have you found me a Banner boy yet? lol. _**

* * *

Pepper chuckles when Tony lays her gently on the bed, taking Antonia from Bruce's arms once his wife is stable;

"How are you feeling Pep?"

She moans, throwing a blanket over her head;

"Tired Tony. I am so bloody tired. Can I trust you with the baby for an hour?"

He smirks, shrugging his shoulders when Natasha shakes her head 'no';

"Yeah, I can watch my little girl."

His wife mumbles;

"Whatever. Did you give Natasha her room?"

Romanoff tilts her head, eyes curious when Tony smirks in her direction. He nods after looking at Bruce;

"Come on, I've got something to show you guys."

Bruce follows behind them, keeping a hand on Natasha's lower back just because he can. Stark shakes his head, lifting Antonia to his cheek when he whispers;

"Uncle Bruce can't stop tickling Aunt Natty."

Banner sharpens his focus, ready to drop his hand from off her;

"Tony!"

Natasha catches onto him, wrapping his hand around her abdomen;

"Well, 'Aunt Natty' is just fine with it, thank you very much."

Tony smirks, urging the couple to exit the elevator first;

"Go ahead, you're not going to recognize it."

Natasha's mouth falls open when she walks onto the floor, admiring the apartment Tony created for them on the same floor as her dancing studio;

"For us?!"

Bruce gives him a look, "Why?"

Tony gives him a wink, adjusting his arms to have a better grip on Antonia;

"Because you deserve it."

"Tony, I can't take this."

"Bruce, it's yours. I call it a gift."

Natasha shakes her head, hand on her cheek;

"Are you serious?"

Tony smiles, pulling up a chair for himself and his newborn in their living room;

"Look around. Make sure you like it."

Bruce sighs, looking back at his friend;

"Tony-"

Stark lifts a finger, "Shut up and walk around with your wife please?"

He catches up with her while she stands in complete awe of her own space;

"I have no idea how to thank him."

Bruce runs a hand through his hair;

"Well that makes two of us."

Natasha grits her teeth almost sarcastically;

"He can be such a good person, why does he have to be the biggest pain in the ass!?"

He smirks, "I don't know."

She rolls her eyes, leaning into his side after she feels her phone buzzing. She swallows hard after reading the name, hesitant to answer;

"It's Ivan."

He rubs her back, watching her answer cautiously;

"_Hi Papa.- You're coming back? When- Oh, that should be okay.- Bye Ivan."_

She gives him a look, hesitant to tell him;

"Ivan wants to come back. Are you okay with that?"

He nods, "Are you?"

She shrugs, huffing out a laugh, "If he behaves."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tony got a laugh out of the card the couple left in his room, just to thank him for everything. He sent one back, leaving it on their table telling them to stop wasting paper on something that 'wasn't necessary.'

Bruce got distracted on his way down to the lab at Tony's request, spotting a book left out on the table dealing with scientific theories that were supposedly impossible. Curiosity gets the best of him, initially skimming through the book before deciding to take out his glasses and start on page one. He smirks, finding a hypothesis he once attempted; _yeah,_ _Tony could wait._

Natasha laughs when she does a double take, initially heading for her room to drop off a few articles of clothing before she sees her husband sketching frantically. He has a few crumpled papers at his knees, sitting on his heels while he leans on the short table to write out a few possibilities. Romanoff shakes her head when she sees Alex rolling a crumpled paper back and forth with his nose, tail wagging when he sees his 'mommy'.

She sits on the couch behind the physicist, figuring she better keep quiet if he was getting that involved with something. Natasha lifts her eyebrows when he looks over his shoulder, lifting the paper to show her his discovery;

"I did it."

She smiles, rubbing his upper back when she tries to make sense of his jumbled letters and abstract diagrams;

"Good for you _Vrach_."

He feels her delicate fingers dig into his tight muscles, working at a few knots he didn't even realize he had. Bruce cringes and leans on the table for support when she starts to press a little harder;

"Um...so how was the meeting with Fury?"

She shrugs, "Fine. I got out of work for another month because I want to be with you."

"How did he take it?"

"Well he doesn't know about _us_, but he's pissed no one's been answering his phone calls."

He shakes his head, feeling her tug playfully at his earlobe;

"Are you hungry Bruce? I made grilled vegetables. No meat, sugar or spice."

He smirks, "Thanks Natasha. I would've taken care of you."

"Nope. My turn. You can 'take care of me' later."

He groans on the inside, remembering this was only 'day one' of their two month 'trial period';

"Alright, then let me take the drug now so I can have two doses before things get carried away."

"Alright Love."

He feels her rest her chin on his shoulder, arms wrapped around his neck when she kisses his cheek. Bruce rests his head over hers, wishing they could just have a baby like any other 'normal' couple. Without all of the excessive worry, stress, planning, sedatives, drugs, and eventual procedures he already knew she wouldn't be able to avoid.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Thor chuckles, unsure of how to handle the infant in his arms;

"She is so tiny."

Jane smirks, "Don't crush her Thor."

He gives her a look, completely offended, "Lady Foster!"

"What? Just be careful."

Pepper smirks, walking around a little bit more throughout the day;

"He's got it Jane, don't worry."

Tony bites at his fingernails, watching every move they make around his little girl. His eyes stay fixed on hers, smirking when her tiny mouth circles in a yawn. He holds out his hands, unable to keep his hand off of her that long. Pepper laughs, watching him scoop up his child;

"Mommy needs a turn too you know."

He nods, "I know."

Pepper curls up beside her husband, laying her hand over her daughter's head while she brushes her light hair. Jane smirks, watching Alex very carefully when he sniffs at the baby. Darcy keeps a hand on his collar out of pure nervousness, breathing a heavy sigh of relief when he plants a big kiss on her tiny cheek.

Darcy smiles openly;

"Okay, I'll admit I was nervous."

Bruce heads into panic mode when he sees the dog so close;

"Darcy..."

"I've got it Doc, he's fine."

Pepper smirks, giving the dog a pat on the head;

"He's a good boy."

Tony taps his heel lightly into the table, mezmorized by his baby when he hums to her;

"_Be courageous and be brave, and in my heart you'll always stay, forever young."_

. . . . . . . . . .

His expression gives her a chill, unsure of how to handle his smile when he goes to hug her;

"_Malyshka_."

She cringes, keeping her husband behind her, _"I missed you Papa_."

He shrugs half-heartedly, handing a bag to Steve when he offered to help. Ivan Petrovich takes up his daughter's hand, eyes fixed on both her wedding band and engagement ring over it, ignoring Bruce completely;

"Talk to me Natalia. I haven't seen you in a while."

She shrugs heading over to the couch, "Three weeks...I guess it's been a while. Well, I um, I saw you at the wedding..."

Natasha swallows heavy, wishing she didn't bring that up just yet. He just nods with a smirk;

"Yes I was there."

She nods, unable to control her tongue;

"I didn't see you there until you got up to leave."

He keeps his smile, as if he doesn't even care how she felt about it;

"Well you looked very pretty."

She lifts an eyebrow, "That's all you have to say."

He exhales, lips tightening together;

"Is there a problem?"

Natasha shakes her head, elbows pressed on her knees when she feels Bruce give her shoulder a gentle squeeze before walking off into the room beside them. Her eyes close over his touch, comforted whenever he does anything like that;

"Papa, I just thought, maybe...you'd change your mind about him."

He shakes his head, moving the small table in front of him to be a little straighter;

"No. I'm glad you kept your last name."

She sighs, eyes shifting upwards;

"I added his-"

"But you kept yours."

"Not by choice."

Ivan nods, looking her up and down;

"At least you don't look pregnant. I was worried you'd conceive before your wedding."

Her eyes widen, voice changing out of complete irritation;

"What's it to you!"

"If I'm going to be a grandfather I'd hope you'd tell me. I need to prepare in case I have little green mutants to babysit-"

She grits her teeth, heart pounding twice as fast when she tucks her hands underneath the table in front of her, muscles aching when she goes to flip it over in his direction. Ivan jumps over her move, barely flinching after the inital shock. Natasha leans over her mess, eyes wide when she addresses her father;

"You listen to me very clearly; If you're not going to support, encourage, and respect me and my husband, then I never want to see you again. I can't live like this, with you second-guessing every decision I make. And you can not treat Bruce this way because you can be damn sure that I will not be putting up with it!

He smirks, standing up to look her in the eye;

"Fair enough."

She follows his hand when he brushes a stray hair behind her ear. Natasha throws his hand from off of her;

"Don't touch me."

He can't help but smirk;

"My little girl. You're very pretty when your mad."

"Back up Ivan." Her eyes shift downward, uncomfortable with how close he's standing.

He sighs, taking a small step back;

"_Nekotoryye veshchi nikogda ne menyayutsya_."

"You're hallucinating."

He sighs, "Come home Natalia, where you belong."

"I belong here."

"Bruce is not Alexei."

She snaps, "No! He's not! And I wouldn't want him to be! I wasn't looking for a replacement Papa! I love Bruce. I love him for who he is and what he inspires me to be. I'm happy Ivan."

"You don't know any better."

"Don't talk to me."

"_Malyshka _I didn't mean...Natalia!..."

She shakes her head, tears in her eyes when she lowers her head ready to dash up the stairs. Natasha feels a hand on her arm when she passes through another room, knowing exactly who it is when she hears his voice;

"Honey, talk to me."

She shakes her head, tone softening when she answers him;

"I'm sorry Bruce, not right now."

"Natasha please-"

She lowers her head, still pulling from him;

"Bruce, please! Not now."

He sighs, letting loose automatically when he sees the tears in her eyes. He leans his side into the wall when she takes the stairs, wanting so badly to just let her cry in his shoulder.

She holds her head, brushing past Clint hard enough for him to turn around with concern in his stare;

"Nat? You alright?"

She sighs, hiding for her room. She shuts the door behind her, happy she has her own private suite so she won't be interrupted in her venting session.

Natasha covers her face, breathing deeply to get a handle on her emotions. She closes her eyes, feeling extremely warm seemingly out of nowhere. She swallows, checking the temperature in her room before fanning herself. Her vision swarms, falling backwards onto her bed to catch a breath.

Natasha pulls her knees into her chest, biting her lower lip after she tries one of Bruce's breathing exercises to stop her heart from palpitating. She growls, reaching over her head to hug her husband's pillow into her chest. She tries to swallow the lump in her throat, beyond comforted to hear a knock at her door. Natasha tries to sit up straighter, falling back down after through her hands back over her face. Bruce sighs when he looks her over, closing the door behind him. He sits on the edge of her bed, upper body turned to face her. He waits, watching her elbows open to the side while she keeps her palms on her forehead. Bruce hovers his hand over her knee, giving her a look;

"Are you going to hit me?"

She chuckles, shaking her head 'no'. He smirks, pinching just hard enough to tickle her. She squirms, rolling onto her side to give him more room;

"I'm sorry Bruce."

He contorts his mouth, tongue rolling over his cheek when he lays the back of his hand against her cheek;

"Are you alright?"

She closes her eyes;

"I'm fine."

He pushes himself up on one knee, heel of his hand pressed in the mattress underneath him while his other hand lays over her forehead;

"You feel warm Natasha."

She rolls her eyes;

"Please don't touch my face."

He sighs, resting his hand on her hip;

"Talk to me."

She shrugs, scoffing when she rubs her eye;

"I'm fine. Just stressed. My heart was pounding before. What is Ivan thinking?"

He closes his eyes, after spotting a new vial out on her nightstand;

"I don't know Natasha.' he nods towards her pills, 'What are you taking?"

She shrugs, lowering her voice just above a whisper;

"The _Clomid_ we talked about."

He contorts his mouth, shaking his head when he's about to open his mouth;

"When did you start that?"

"After we talked."

"_When_ Natasha, I don't remember what I did yesterday. I know you had them but when did you start taking them?"

She shrugs, eyebrows lowering when she gets defensive;

"I don't know."

"Natasha, talk to me."

Romanoff gives him a look, hugging his pillow a little tighter;

"I just- I'm perfectly fine I just need a break. Papa's killing me."

He shakes his head;

"Forget your father Natasha, there's something wrong with him. And unfortunately that's not going to change."

She sighs, "I know. I kept hoping it would but, whatever."

Bruce brushes the hair from her eyes, quick to remove his hand from her face like she had requested earlier;

"And that bothers you."

She shrugs, trying to appear unaffected by the whole situation;

"Whatever."

He sighs, biting the side of his lower lip while he rubs gently over her hip bone;

"What do you need Natasha?"

She shakes her head 'no', smirking after she thinks for a minute;

"Actually, are you up for a walk to Morning Side?"

He smirks, nodding towards the door behind him;

"Come on."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Darcy laughs, covering her mouth with the back of her hand with a plastic cup in her opposite hand. Steve smirks over her laughter, coming up with his own rhythm when he can't match hers. Maria jumps to keep Jane humming in her acapella creation. Clint rolls his eyes, loud mouth that he is when he chimes in with his own two cents;

"_What doesn't kill you makes a fighter footsteps even lighter, doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone. "_

Barton huffs out a laugh, hearing Natasha chuckle in his ear when she gives him a surprise attack, singing along with Jane, Darcy, and Maria. He jumps, ready to kill her for scaring him that way;

"Mrs. Banner!"

_"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger..."_

Bruce smiles, spotting her from the back to make sure Clint didn't drop her on accident. Maria smirks;

"Where were you guys?"

Banner shoves his hands into his pockets, keeping an eye on Natasha to make sure Barton doesn't let her fall;

"Morning Side. What about you?"

Darcy jumps up and down at least twice;

"We took a walk around the lake. then we decided to loiter outside the house and teach Steve and Thor acapella."

Steve does a double take when he sees the red-head sitting on Clint's shoulders. She claps her hands in a rhythm, waiting until Jane and Darcy catch on before starting her own song. She makes eye contact with her dark-haired physicist;

"_You won't find faith or hope down a telescope, you won't find heart and soul in the stars, you can break everything down to chemicals, but you can't explain a love like ours.._."

Darcy smirks, "Oh! I like this song! Why isn't it in my iPod?"

Clint chuckles, hands dropped to his sides now that Natasha is balancing on her own;

"Nice Nat."

She shrugs, watching her husband give her a subtle wink. Maria swings her arms back and forth, checking her watch before her eyes widen;

"Oh my God, Fury is going to kill me."

Clint mumbles, tapping Natasha's ankle to urge her to get down;

"Damn it."

She complies, skillfully hoping off of her friend;

"What's going on?"

Hill grabs Barton by his wrist;

"We have a meeting with the 'boss'. Sorry Tasha, we'll see you guys later."

Thor smiles, waving semi-dramatically;

"Safe travels."

Jane bites her cheek, "We should go in before Tony sends a search party."

Rogers nods with his eyes wide;

"You're not even kidding."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Natasha takes her time, glancing over her shoulder before she sneaks into her dancing studio. She smirks over the natural colors off of the walls from the city lights and dull moon. Her bare feet find there way to the floor, brushing through a silent movement. Her eyes close, arching her upper back in her ballet adagio.

She pauses, focusing on movement with her toes before walking over to the piano. She takes up a book, skimming through the pages until she pauses. Natasha feels her eyes fill when she looks at the words, unable to get her father out of her mind, overwhelmed over another failed pregnancy test taken only 20 minutes ago. Maybe she was being overly anxious, a little too eager for results when she hadn't given it enough time. But she couldn't help it, feeling as if things she did in the past were finally catching up to her.

Natasha tilts her head when she flips a few more pages, unable not to hum when she sees the words;

_"Say you need me with you now and always. Promise me that all you say is true. That's all I ask of you."_

She swallows, eyes reclosing when she feels tender lips on the side of her neck. He whispers, smirking over her pretty voice;

"Share each day with me, each night each morning."

Natasha, whispers back, ready to burst into tears;

"Say you love me."

He smirks, planting a kiss on her cheek;

"I love you Natasha."

Natasha lays the book on the piano, smiling when she turns around to face him;

_"So somewhere in my youth, or childhood, I must have done something good."_

His eyes close when he listens to her gentle voice, leaving one more kiss on her nose before taking a seat at the bench to play her 'Moon River'. Natasha smiles when he starts, sitting beside him to hum along with her head rested on her hand and her elbow on the instrument.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Tony! Help me!"

He sighs, scooping the child in his arms to try to get her to stop crying;

"What's wrong Antonia? Mommy doesn't know what to do for you."

He feels a chill go down his spine when her tiny eyes close tight, tears streaming down her cheeks;

"Baby girl, don't cry."

Pepper throws her hands over her face, ready to cry herself from a lack of sleep;

"Antonia sweetheart. Please. Is she hurt Tony? Did she fall?"

"How is she going to fall? She probably just had a bad dream."

"You're kidding Tony!"

"No, I'm not! Kids have nightmares too."

She sighs, holding out her arms to take back her baby;

"I know. Maybe she's hungry."

He sighs, running a hand through his short hair;

"I don't know. Why can't you sleep sweety?"

Pepper rolls her eyes climbing out of the bed when her baby tries to nuzzle into her chest. Tony makes a face when she smirks;

"Told you."

"Well...nightmares happen too."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tony chuckles, seeing Thor struggle with the wrapper over his pop tarts;

"Just pull it Point Break."

Jane leans over to help him, successfully pulling hard enough to send the pieces flying. Rogers holds his head when one lands on his lap;

"Nice Thor."

"I do apologize Patriotic One."

Clint coughs, ready to spit up the coffee he just attempted to drink over the trouble in the kitchen;

"You're sure you want to come down here for breakfast Nat?"

She makes a face, shaking her head when Bruce hands her a plate and a fresh cup of coffee;

"Thanks _Vrach_."

He smirks, giving her a wink before addressing Pepper;

"What do you need?"

She shrugs, rubbing Antonia's back with a rag over her shoulder;

"Um..."

Tony lifts his eyebrows;

"Ooh! I'll make you an omlet if you want."

She tries hard to coo her baby when she starts to whimper. Pepper jumps, completely unprepared when Antonia starts to spit up. Tony cups his hands to catch some of it from landing on his wife's lap when she moves her from off the shoulder. Natasha's quick to scoop the baby up in her arms, only seconds ahead of Bruce's attempt to lend a hand. Romanoff holds the rag under Antonia's mouth, balancing the newborn perfectly when she whispers, leaving a gently kiss over her tiny cheek;

"It's okay _rebenok. Vy khrosho._ "

Clint gags when he sees the mess on Pepper, covering his mouth while Steve starts to wipe down the table. Tony gags himself when Bruce helps to clean up both him and Pepper, moving the garbage can over to table.

Darcy covers her mouth, literally going green in the face when she sees what just happened;

"Oh God I could never have children."

Natasha gives the baby another wipe across the mouth before tossing the rag into the trash can;

"I'll get you new cloth Pepper, that thing is history."

Maria holds out her arms, wanting to feel useful;

"You want me to take her Natasha?"

She shakes her head, content with Antonia in her arms, "It's okay, I've got her."

Rogers bites his cheek, tugging at the back of his neck;

"Is she sick?"

Bruce can't help but smirk over the panic in his stare;

"No Steve, it's perfectly normal."

Tony nods, "Good cause, I was going to ask you about it."

Pepper narrows her focus;

"Tony, I oughta smack you."

"What? I don't know."

"You should she's your baby! Natasha dear, can you watch her for a second? I'd like to change."

She nods, "Yeah sure. I don't mind."

Maria chuckles, watching Clint discreetly leave the table;

"What's the matter? Going to throw up?"

He nods, rolling his eyes when he walks past her, nudging her from his way when she tries to poke his stomach;

"Don't!"

Steve gives her a look, "Seriously Maria, unless you plan on cleaning it."

Bruce shakes his head, glancing over his shoulder when he sees Natasha singing softly to the baby;

_"I hope you dance, I hope you dance. I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance, never settle for the path of least resistance. Living might mean taking chances, but they're worth taking..."_

Tony nudges him out of a trance, taking just above a whisper once he has Banner's attention. He nods towards the red-head cradling his daughter, wiggling his eyebrows playfully;

"I could see you with a little one."

Bruce lowers his eyes, shaking his head 'no' when he goes back to his cleaning. He smirks nervously; _if Tony only knew._

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Natasha holds her head, doubled over the sink when she studies her test strips. Her lips stay tight, almost too tired to even process what she sees. She bites her cheek, tempted to take another test just out of paranoia. She sighs, shaking her head when she looks back in the mirror. Natasha feels like throwing her fist in the middle, sick of holding in her tears and controlling her emotions.

She swallows hard, slow to turn the knob and step out of the bathroom. Romanoff hates to make eye contact with her _Vrach_, picking up on his hopeful stare. She shakes her head 'no' as she watches him hold his forehead. The couple take a deep breath while she leans her side into the door frame, hearing him walk towards her. Bruce wraps his arms around her weak frame, feeling her body go almost limp while he holds her close. He doesn't talk, aware of the large lump in his throat there to stop him if he even tried.

Natasha lays her head over his chest, comforted by his gentle heartbeat and tender embrace. She takes a deep breath, squeezing him a little tighter when she tries hard to stifle her own tears.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Romanoff is quiet while she watches the monitor in the lab, laying on her back with her knees up towards the ceiling. Bruce keeps a hand on her abdomen while he tries a few simple tests for himself at her request.

She holds her head when he pulls up an image of her inner self, ready to throw up. He bites at his lip, already figuring this much without the help of the computer. Bruce rubs his fingers tenderly over her skin when he whispers almost tearfully;

"Do you want to know?"

Natasha doesn't even have to finish shaking her head 'no' before he closes the picture, catching a tear on his fingertip when he tries to refocus on the light above him. He takes a deep breath, working hard to stay strong for his wife. She lays a hand over his, eyes soft when she whispers;

"So, it's impossible?"

He hates those words, delaying an answer with his mind racing for a solution. She sits up on her elbows, tilting her head when she sees his eyes go blank;

"Bruce? I know you don't like it, but, if I got a surgery would it even work?"

He shakes his head 'no', almost wishing the answer was 'yes' at this point. He felt bad for her still trying to figure out if there was anything he could do for his 'little spider'. He gnaws at his cheek, temper flaring when he hears Tony make his way into the room with his tongue flapping;

"Okay, so you remember how Pepper was craving tacos and pickles like, everyday when she was pregnant? Well now I feel like having tacos and she's looking at me like I have two heads."

He freezes, analyzing the dark look on his friend and the pale tone on Natasha usually vibrant cheeks;

"You guys don't look so good."

Tony tugs at the back of his neck when he doesn't get an answer, almost hoping someone would yell at him just to prove they're awake;

"Guys? Red, why are you on the table? Brucey?"

Romanoff sits upright with her head bowed low, almost ignoring Stark completely. She throws her open palms over her face, finally letting go of everything she's been holding inside. Bruce immediately throws his arms around her, letting her 'hide' in his chest while she cries. He rubs her back, still trying to stay strong for her.

Tony bites his bottom lip, unsure of what to think when he sees a single tear roll down Banner's cheek. The engineer practically tip toes out of the room, deciding to leave the couple alone for the time being. He closes the door behind him with his head bowed low trying to imagine what awful thing could've happened to them to make them look like that.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It was Natasha's idea to start a 'journal' just to write down all their negative emotions, vent, and attempt to end with something positive, whether it be a new goal or determination. There was a section dedicated to their 'child' that never existed in the first place, but Natasha found it almost therapeutic writing to 'her'. There were a few tear stains on the bottom, but that's what made her book what it was. Bruce kept it on his end, shoved in the top drawer over pictures of Betty, his mom and Natasha's Alexei. He'd read a page or two when she was in another room, just to get a handle on what she was feeling and how he could help her through it. It bothered him to no end when she'd write in Russian, unable to translate more then a word or two. She did it out of spite, angry when he'd write in his own short-hand or backwards to make sure it was too complicated for her to understand. Natasha once got a laugh out of it, calling to him when she paces into the kitchen;

"Bruce_ lyubov_? What does this mean?"

He smirks, ready to spit his tea back into the cup when he can't even translate something he wrote. She giggles, somewhere in between bursting into tears and laughing hysterically. Her lip starts to tremble, skimming the pages in her book when she shakes her head. He reaches a gentle hand over hers, closing it before she really did get upset;

"Natasha honey, let's, head off to Morning Side for the day okay?"

She nods, ready to ask him for the exact same thing before throwing her arms around his waist;

"Hold me?"

He sighs, wrapping his arms around her when he whispers consolingly;

"It'll be alright Natasha, I swear. I love you."

"I love you too _Vrach_."

She feels him kiss the top of her head, comfortable in his warm embrace when she mumbles;

"_Vrach_?"

"Hmm?"

"Can we take Alex?"

He smirks, eyeing the dog whose scratching his paw on the back of Natasha's knee;

"Sure."


	4. What Makes You Different

**_A/N: Thanks for reading! Please Review, let me know what you think. :)_**

**_RFK22: _**_Hope this update finds you well, and you haven't had any more hulk-outs. :) _

**_Nova Fearnewood: _**_Kind of TSOYL reversed. lol. See? You're an inspiration. The explanation of Natasha's problem is in this chapter. Thanks for reviewing! :D _

* * *

Banner smirks half-heartedly, holding Antonia upright to stop her from fussing. He sits in the chair behind him, gentle when he kisses her cheek. She rests her head against his shoulder, slowly falling asleep over his gentle rub down.

He takes a deep breath, trying hard to get rid of the lump in his throat. He wanted to be a father, to give his own little one all the love, care, and attention he never had. Just to hear his own child call him 'Dad', would mean so much to him.

It hurt him to think about Natasha, how badly she wanted a family, and how hard she tried to stay strong and look as though the situation didn't effected her. His lip quivers, clutching the infant a little closer. He was tired, still trying to hold back all his tears for Natasha's sake. He takes a few deep breaths, working hard to appear calm and collected.

Bruce gives her a smirk when she walks in, glad he didn't give in and break down only seconds ago. The red-head tilts her head compassionately when she sees the baby in his arms, laying a gentle hand over his shoulder without a word. He sighs, struggling to snap himself out of it and keep his pain to himself. He follows Romanoff with his eyes, watching his wife pull up the images on the computer for herself.

Banner calls her softly, swallowing before he opens his mouth;

"Do you want to talk Natasha?"

She sighs, shaking her head 'no' after closing the pictures quickly;

"Not really. But thanks."

He turns his head to follow her when she starts to head for the door;

"Honey, talk to me."

Natasha holds her head for a second, "I'm fine Bruce."

"Natasha-"

"_Vrach_, I don't feel like talking."

He tilts his head, nodding towards the chair in front of him;

"Then just stay with me?"

She shrugs practically falling in the chair with her elbows rested on her knees and her head low. He nudges the chair with his foot, trying to get her to look up without disturbing Antonia. She gives him a look, trying hard to keep a straight face when he sarcastically imitates her stare.

Natasha rolls her eyes, unable to hide the smirk on her face. He returns her smile almost victoriously, realizing she needed some sort of an escape;

"Where do you want to go Natasha, I'll take you anywhere."

She shrugs, "I don't know, upstairs?"

"Natasha..."

Romanoff nods with her eyes wide, chuckling when she sees the sleeping baby;

"Honest _Vrach_. I'd like to curl up with you. I'd sit on your lap right now but Ana's already claimed you at the moment."

He gives the girl a sideways glance, ready to find Steve and leave her with him until Natasha opens her mouth;

"Can I hold her?"

He nods, carefully laying the infant in her arms. The red-head bites the corner of her lip once she has her. She takes a deep breath, admiring Pepper's little miracle. Bruce comes to her level, sitting back on his heels. He smirks when she chuckles, nose pressed against Antonia's now that she's awake. Bruce feels a thicker lump in his throat just watching his broken-hearted wife hold a baby that isn't hers. She wanted to be a mom, and it made him sick to think it would never happen.

He rubs his hand over her knee, looking down to take a deep breath so she won't see the tears in his eyes. Bruce gives her a gentle squeeze before standing up to get out of an uncomfortable situation. He'd do anything to give her what she wanted; as long as it didn't hurt her in the process. He shifts a computer screen away from her view, frantic for an answer he's not even sure exits.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

She chuckles when Alex tugs her into the home, grabbing him by his collar;

"Alex, come here you crazy little boy."

He nuzzles her, panting when she finally let's him go in search of his water bowl. She leaves the leash on the table, giving Bruce a wink after flicking the lock from off his forehead. He follows her around their apartment, filling Alex's water dish before meeting her in their bedroom. He shakes his head when he sees her toss her phone into the drawer;

"It's Fury. I'm not talking to him."

His arms snaking around her waist from the back to pull her towards him when she tries to walk off;

"Come here Natasha, where are you going."

She squeals when he tickles her;

_"Vrach! _I'm hungry, I was going to make us dinner_._"

He smirks just to see her smile, whispering gently;

"I'll do it _Lyubov moya."_

She loves his attempted Russian, laying her hands over his to keep him where he is. Her eyes close when he goes for her neck. She bites her lip;

"_Hmm_ _Vrach."_

Natasha turns her body towards him, hands over his face when she presses herself against his warmth. Her hand wraps around his head to keep it there while she whispers;

"Sweetie, don't stop."

He smirks, all to happy to oblige when he sees her smile;

"I could hold you forever Natasha."

She throws a leg around his waist, giggling when she makes him fall over their bed. Natasha presses her forehead against his, pinning his arms to his side. Natasha presses her nose and forehead against his. He loses his smile after she does, gently lifting her chin up;

"I know you get down on yourself, especially lately. You were crying in your sleep last night."

Her eyes widen, "I was?"

He nods sympathetically, "You okay?"

She shrugs, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. Romanoff shakes her head, taking his quick comment as an invitation to pour her heart out;

"Lately, I feel so incomplete because of all this. I just feel like you married half a woman."

He sighs, stomach twisting when he hears the pain in her voice. He brushes the hair behind her ear when she's quiet, closing her eyes when she tries to stay strong for him. He shakes his head, knowing she wants to give into tears;

"Natasha, look at me; I married perfection. I know words can only go so far, but you should know how much you mean to me. Honey, you won me because of who you are. What makes you different, the fact that you stay strong through all of this, that's what makes you special. I feel so lucky to be with you Natasha."

She blushes, burying her face in his shoulder after kissing his cheek;

"You make me feel important."

"You're important to me."

He smirks over her chuckle, running his fingers down the back of her head while she curls up in his arms. She intertwines their fingers, head on his chest while she listens to his gentle breathing. She liked to lay on his left side, just to be closer to his heart.

He felt trusting and much calmer with her around. Her smile seemed to ease his worries without her saying a word, lighten the mood without her even trying. With her by his side, even with all the current stress draining the both of them, Bruce could've sworn this was the happiest he had _ever_ been.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bruce jumps when Tony slams the door behind him, shaking his head when he reaches a boiling point. The engineer presses his hands into the table;

"Okay. Talk to me."

Banner scoffs, shrugging with the papers for his next project in his grip;

"About what?"

Stark shakes his head with his eyes closed;

"You know."

"No, I don't."

Stark drops his inital topic, smirking when he looks at the paper;

"You're so neat. Just scribble, I get the jist. I see you're halfway through that book already."

He bites his cheek, lifting the glasses up to see his friend a little clearer;

"Oh, you got that for me?"

He shakes his head, "technically no, but your wifey asked my opinion."

"Well, thank you."

"Keeping you busy?"

"Kind of."

"Maybe a little distraction?"

He pauses cautiously, "From...?"

Tony lifts his forefinger, urging his friend to wait when he swipes his finger across the screen;

"Okay, I've got a question for you Brucey..."

Banner crosses his arms, watching the clock a little more intently then he shoud've been. Natasha had told him she was in another meeting with Fury only an hour ago, eager to talk with her about it. Stark coughs sarcastically to get his attention;

"What are _'uterine anomalies_'?"

Bruce lowers his eyebrows, head down with his eyes fixed intently on Tony;

"None of your business!"

"_Unicornuate_?"

Banner snaps raising his voice subconsciously when he takes a step towards him to get a look at the screen for himself;

"Drop it!"

"Apparently Nat's got issues a few issues from the super-serum? Soviet-experimentation?"

Bruce loses his temper, hints of green flaring in his irises when he turns around to avoid hitting Tony. In his fit he succeeds in knocking over half Stark's project, shattering when it hits the ground. Banner doubles over the table, head thrown into his forearms when he tries to breathe and just calm down. He feels like an idiot for leaving her files so accessible, too heartbroken to even think Tony would have the nerve to hack Natasha's private information;

"Why?..."

Stark crosses his arms still as calm as could be. His lips in a tight line when he addresses his friend;

"I'm only asking because I care. You guys seemed out of it lately and it's not just me, everyone was getting nervous. I saw Red on the table a few days ago so I knew something was going on."

Bruce shakes his head with his eyes closed, unsure where's he's directing his comments;

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to flip."

He shrugs, acting as if it never happened. His eyes soften, swiping his finger to pull up the problem;

"You had a right to, you're just looking out for her and I get it. But when it's something that affects you too, as your best friend, I'd like to know about it so I can help you get through it. Obviously you've been stressed and when your eyes start to go green or when you're crying in the lab, I think it's only fair if you tell me why. I have a heart you know. So what's going on? Come on Bruce, it's easier to just let it out then hold in all that tension. If you've got to hulk-out, I'll take you to a field in two minutes, just talk for now. I'm listening."

The physicist shakes his head, with a lump in his throat, regretting his flare up only moments before;

"I'm sorry I snapped."

He shrugs, brushing it off casually, "Forget it. So she can't have kids? What's the deal?"

Bruce bites his cheek when he shakes his head 'no', still leaning on the table for support. Stark nods towards the chair beside him;

"Why? What's the problem? I'm not going to tell anyone what happens in the lab stays in the lab."

Banner shakes his head looking up with a glossy stare;

"Natasha's a brave girl...She's got, one thing after another. Inside I know it's tearing her apart but she stays positive and...I don't know how."

The engineer contorts his mouth, waiting patiently for Bruce to compose himself and collect his thoughts;

"That bad? Do you know what the problem is?"

He tugs at his hair with his eyes vague, "She's an ovarian insufficiency, damaged fallopian tubes...and she's begging me to let her get metroplasty to reshape her womb. But she doesn't get that in her case, it's impossible."

"None of my business, but what she born that way?"

He lowers his eyebrows, ready to lose it again before taking a deep breath;

"Her tubes and whatever got screwed up in the Red Room. Some soviet experimenting...I don't know. And the serum messed her up."

His friend mumbles, "Well shit."

Bruce rubs his forehead, "She wants this so bad, I'm almost worried she's going to do something behind my back. Go to some...twisted surgeon-She wouldn't do that right?"

"No! Natasha wouldn't do anything behind your back. She loves you too much. Secondly; Have you talked about other options? Surrogacy...adoption."

He shakes his head, closing his eyes when he gets a little tense;

"I think we're still recovering from the initial shock."

"I guess it'll take time. Does Antonia make it worse? You guys don't have to watch her or entertain her if it bothers you, I understand-"

"No, if anything it's therapeutic."

He nods, tone changing slightly in a poor attempt to make his friend feel better;

"You guys want to watch her for a night? You'll change your mind. She's up at 5 A.M sharp, _every _morning. Screaming to be fed, crying for attention, it gets old."

Bruce shrugs with his head low, irritated by Tony's complaining;

"Well some people would do just about anything to have what you have."

Stark freezes wishing he could just disappear. Banner shakes his head before cleaning up a few remains of the project from the floor. He mumbles;

"You just, take a lot for granted."

Tony sighs, walking around the table to help clean;

"Don't get me wrong, I love my daughter I was just- you know. Trying to help."

Bruce holds his head, sitting on his heels when he picks up the smaller pieces;

"I have no idea what do to for Natasha."

"You need a break. A nice vacation, just to get out of here for a while."

He shrugs, "I asked she said she doesn't want to go anywhere."

Stark contorts his mouth, finally realizing he needs to start over with his project. He shakes his head;

"And you two are still, happy right?"

Banner's eyes light up at the thought;

"Of course. We're doing great."

"So, no one's been sleeping on the couch with the dog?"

He huffs out a laugh, "No! No. If anything I feel like, our bond is a little stronger."

Tony nods, lips tighten slightly, "When's the last time Hulk had a run?"

Bruce shrugs, looking down at his hand to spot the hint of green over his skin that no doubt brought on Tony's question;

"I- haven't had time."

He nods;

"Okay. We're taking off the rest of the day. Go grab a change of clothes and meet me in a half hour."

"Tony I don't-"

"Bro, that wasn't a question. You need to let loose. Badly."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Nat come on-"

She throws her head back when she laughs, watching Clint clutch his shoulder as if she threw a harder punch;

"Clint, that didn't hurt."

He makes a face;

"Uh, it kind of did."

She wrinkles her nose playfully, sweat over her forehead, "Sissy."

Her fellow assassin leaps at the opportunity, twisting her arm just enough before she wraps her flexible body in a tumble to set herself free. He moans;

"No fair!"

She grins devilishly, panting when she stands up to head for her water;

"Break time."

Maria knocks on the door before walking in with her baggy sweatpants and tank top. Hill contorts her mouth, iPod in her hand when she gives Clint a look. He's sweating almost as much as Romanoff, both drinking and panting as if they'd just run a marathon. She rolls her eyes;

"Darcy, Pepper and I are doing Zumba. I was going to ask if you guys wanted to join us but you're already burnt out."

Barton collapses dramatically into the wall;

"Maria! Are you trying to kill me?"

She rolls her eyes a second time, plugging in her music player to search for a song. Pepper makes her way into the gym, smirking when she sees Romanoff;

"Oh dear. Hon you look like you just got out of the shower."

Natasha scoffs, laughing even harder when both Steve and Darcy come running in after her. Maria starts her song and her movement regardless of whose following behind her. Darcy Lewis gives Natasha a wave before copying Maria. Rogers widens his eyes, unable to follow for more than a second;

"Darcy I can't do this..."

She laughs, singing along to Maria's selection;

"_You're a good soldier, choosing your battles, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and back in the saddle_..."

Pepper shakes her head, mumbling to herself;

"Oh God I'm out of shape."

"_When you fall get up oh oh, and if you fall get up eh, eh..." _

Natasha jumps in when Darcy sings her next line, determined to make Clint look like the lazy one. Barton waves his hand sarcastically, throwing on his sweatshirt before parking in the corner with his Gatorade;

"Have fun Nat I'm taking a break."

She sticks her tongue out sarcastically, "Lazy."

Thor jumps in when he sees Jane doing it, laughing when he can't keep up. Maria smirks, yelling over her music;

"Let's go people! My Grandma has better coordination!"

Barton shakes his head when Romanoff seemingly slows down, watching her run towards Bruce when he stands in the door. Clint smirks, watching the couple share a laugh and a smile. Heading over to them when it doesn't seem too personal or lovey dovey. He points to the extra clothes in Banners hands;

"Hulking out?"

He widens his eyes, misunderstanding at first before he makes the connection;

"What? Oh, yeah. Tony's taking me for a run. I uh, almost exploded in the lab."

Natasha sighs, leaning the side of her head in the door frame;

"Bruce I'm so sorry. I should be more on top of that."

He shakes his head with a reassuring smile, "Natasha it's fine, it's not your fault. I should be taking care of it...You've got enough on your mind anyway."

"You do too. Just tell me next time. I owe the hulk some time too."

She pulls back when he tries to kiss her, 'Oh, _lyubov _don't. I'm all sweaty and disgusting."

He smirks with an eye roll, planting a kiss on her forehead anyway before Tony walks by with his suit on;

"Let's go Green Bean."

Clint lifts his eyebrows;

"That's a bit excessive don't you think?"

He shrugs as best he can with his metal armor;

"Hulk likes it. Besides I don't think he'd recognize me without it."

Natasha kisses her husband giving his hand a gentle squeeze;

"I'll see you later _Vrach_."

He kisses her fingers before letting her go;

"Behave."

She smirks, hugging her arms around herself;

"Always."

Tony wraps an arm around Banner's shoulder as they head down the hall. Romanoff rolls her eyes giving Barton a look when he nudges her;

"You're blushing Mrs. Banner."

She pushes him back a little harder;

"Shut up."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tony realized all too late that his typical field was dwindling with things to smash. Hulk tried to throw his previous debris, which was far from satisfying for him. Stark saw him getting more and more frustrated by the minute, roaring and carrying on. His large fists pound into the dirt, swinging when Tony drops something above for him to destroy.

The Iron Man lands a few feet away from him, ready to bolt if he makes an attempt to 'smash' him. Stark pulls his mask back when the hulk tries to communicate, no doubt searching for Romanoff;

"Spider?"

Tony shakes his head, "No, not today buddy. Just me. Just Tony."

The engineer softens his focus, somewhat offended when he doesn't get an answer;

"What? You don't like me anymore?"

The giant glances his way, before refocusing downward. Stark shrugs;

"You're mad at me? _Ugh_, I'm sorry okay? I didn't mean to get Bruce all uptight I was just trying to help."

He feels his heart jump when soft green eyes look his way;

"Hulk forgives metal friend. Puny Bruce forgives Tony."

He breathes a sigh of relief, "Thanks buddy. I was worried,' he walks slowly when the giant doesn't look up, 'But...?"

The hulk stays frozen, vacant expression over his face;

"Hulk want to help Spider. Spider sad because she want little spider..."

"I know. Bruce told me. She'll be alright buddy, don't worry."

He growls, seemingly a little more bitter over the ordeal;

"Spider not happy! Hulk angry because hulk can't help Spider!"

Tony contorts his mouth, "But you try."

"No! Puny Bruce try. Bruce love Natasha but Natasha sad too. Hulk miss spider."

"You haven't seen her in a while huh?"

He shakes his head 'no';

"Hulk need Spider...Make hulk feel better."

Tony bites his cheek, picking up on a little tension;

"Something tells me she's not giving you enough attention."

"Hulk love Spider friend! Bruce love Natasha!"

"I know, but is she taking care of you? You do everything for her, just tell me she's looking after you...both."

He sighs, "Spider too tired to play with hulk. Spider too tired to chase nightmares for puny Bruce. But Spider try. Natasha love Bruce, like Spider love hulk. But her heart broken."

Stark nods, sitting beside him when he seems calm enough;

"Oh, I get it. She's a little depressed huh?"

"Natasha sad. Make hulk sad."

"But you've got to hang in there okay? Natasha needs you to stay strong for her."

He nods, "Hulk stay strong. Bruce too."

"Atta boy. I'm here for you pal. I've got your back, I swear.' his eyes lower to his large left hand, smile spread over his face, 'Hey! Your wedding band works!"

Hulk lowers his focus, slight hint of a smile over his face when he sees he's still important to somebody;

"Hulk married Spider."

"I know,' Tony smirks, nudging him with a chuckle, 'You're very lucky big guy."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Papa, I, don't hold anything against you."

He smirks, taking the glass from her when she goes to sit back on her couch. He nods with his head lowered;

"So you forgive me _Malyshka_?"

Her lips curve upwards, still slightly leery about Ivan. She twirls her glass of hard liquor answering before taking a the first few gulps she's had in months. For the sake of her attempt to have children and knowing how much her husband hated it in general, she rarely kept any in her cabinets;

"Of course Papa."

He takes a sip from his eyebrows lowering when he sees 'daughter'. Natasha returns his stare with wide eyes and a shrug, not sure why he's staring. Ivan takes a deep breath with a head shake, trying to brush it off despite his worrying about her.

She jumps, scrambling when she hears the door creaking. Her bare feet swing over, running to dump the rest of her glass down the drain in a panic. Petrovich turns his head around, watching her run from the bathroom with a toothbrush shoved in her cheek. She tries to smile when Bruce walks into his home with a vague look. Tony stands behind him, ready to catch his friend if the need arises. Stark gives Ivan an angry stare down, stopping only when Natasha tries to offer an explanation;

"Ivan's just stopping by for a visit. _Vrach_ _lyubov_, I missed you."

"You alright Natasha?"

"Good. Great now that you're home."

He smirks, too tired to pick up on her frantic attempt to hide her random splurging. She knew that even though he didn't have a problem with her treating herself every once in a while, Bruce would not be too happy with her latest purchase, especially with all his current withdrawing. He'd never say so outright, but Natsha was aware of how much it bothered him when she drank one glass too many. He'd stay polite, though he'd tense a lot more when they kissed or hugged. She couldn't blame him for all those negative memories of his father.

She should've known better when his nightmares were starting up again, too preoccupied with her own woes to let him break loose and vent.

She closes her eyes, regretting her careless mistake when he heads for the other room. Romanoff reaches for her mouthwash, watching Tony give her an head shake and a whisper when he figures out what she's doing;

"Little Red..."

She growls, "Shut up. I needed it."

He crosses his arms, waiting in her door frame, "Because of 'Daddy'?

Natasha rolls her eyes, shoving chewing gum in her mouth;

"Yes. Am I alright? Can you smell it on me?"

He scoffs, eyes widening, "I smell it in the apartment."

"Because Ivan's drinking. But am I okay?"

Stark shrugs, "Yeah, you're fine. I just wish you wouldn't do that. You hiding anything else from him?"

"Tony! I tell him everything. He knows I keep a little in the kitchen."

"Then why are you being so secretive about it?"

She shakes her head in a panic, "Because I shouldn't be doing it now. He's stressing enough as it is."

He nods, "Listen, he told me what's going on-"

"Excuse me!?"

"Before you freak out! I made him talk. I saw you guys acting strange, when you were on the table, that's the only reason I know-I won't tell anyone Tasha, I promise."

She grinds her teeth, throwing a punch across his mouth;

"That's for snooping."

He rolls his eyes, clutching his cheek dramatically;

"I'm sorry for caring. You need anything?"

She crosses her arms, "No."

"You're welcome."

"Thanks for taking the hulk out. Is he alright?"

He shrugs, trying to stay diplomatic;

"He misses you."

Natasha lowers her head, glancing at her nails after a long pause;

"I miss him too. I just feel like lately I've been so preoccupied with my own problems..."

Stark shrugs, watching her run a forefinger under her eyelid;

"Well, he's worried about you. He knows you're upset over it."

She shakes her head, finger under her opposite eye;

"He's so good to me Tony, you have no idea."

He smirks, "Your _Vrach_ adores you."

"I know. I adore him just as much." Natasha tries to laugh, running her fingers under her eyes one more time before looking up in an attempt to feel composed.

Tony pulls his lips into his mouth, hovering a hand over her shoulder before thinking better of it. He clasps his fingers, seeing Bruce leaning on the wall beside them while he waits patiently for them to finish their conversation. Natasha loses it when she sees him, tears streaming down her cheek when she throws herself into his arms. Bruce closes his eyes, letting her cry on his shoulder while he brushes the back of her head. He hides his face in the side of her neck, rubbing her back when she inhales a shuddering breath.

Stark holds his opposite arm, chills rolling up and down his spine. He knew how tired Bruce was, how uncomfortable he was from his recent explosion and he still let Natasha lean on him. Banner whispers to her, pressing his forehead against hers after running his thumb underneath her eyelid. She sighs, running her own finger over his cheek to catch a tear that slipped;

"Life's too short for us to be, wishing for something we can't have, or living in regret."

He tilts his head, twirling the bottom of her wavy, shoulder-length hair over his fingers;

"Life's too short for use to be crying all the time. Are you okay? Relatively..."

She laughs, laying her head back over his shoulder;

"I'd be lost without you _Vrach_. I feel a little better. You?"

He laughs, burying his head on her shoulder;

"Exhausted."

She chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck;

"Aw honey, come here. Talk to me, what do you need?"

He mumbles, "Sleep."

Natasha nods with a smirk, planting a tender kiss over his mouth, "Go ahead Love. And when you wake up we'll talk."

Bruce nods with his eyes soft, slightly afraid to ask her, "Natasha, I love you but why does the apartment smell like Brian Banner."

She bites her lip, getting a whiff of the lingering Vodka. She feels him shake a little the instant he mentions his father;

"Bruce I'm sorry."

"Just tell me it's because you had that stuff out and I'm not losing my mind."

She rubs his fingers, "You're not losing your mind. I'm sorry, I should've warned you."

"It's okay. It's fine."

Natasha nods, lifting her hand threw his thick hair to ease a little tension;

"You alright?"

He nods for her sake, even if he's dying to hide in the corner and throw up. She smirks, planting another kiss on his cheek;

"You need to lay down Bruce. Why are you letting me hang on you when you're leaning on the wall?"

He shrugs, returning her smirk, "Because you needed me."

She shakes her head, "_Vrach_, what am I going to do with you?"

He scoffs with his head low, rubbing over her fingers, "Love me Natasha, that's all I ask."

His wife nuzzles back into him, whispering softly, "Always."

Ivan lowers his head, still watching the scene from the couch. Tony glares at her father as he backs up slowly, ready to give the couple the privacy they deserved. He nods, urging Ivan to follow him when he holds the door.

Petrovich obeys, sighing once they head down the stairs;

"I have never seen Natalia like this. She didn't cry like that with Alexei. What has your friend done to her?"

Stark growls, whipping his head around sharply;

"Nothing! You listen to me; If you give them an ounce of trouble, I'll split your skull. And I'm not kidding! Are we clear?"

He nods, "We're clear."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tony bends over his daughter's crib, head tilted when he looks at her pretty eyes. She laughs just to see her father, smile over her face when she tries her best through her body language to tell him she wants to be held.

Pepper sits up in her bed, rubbing her eyes when she hears Antonia whimpering;

"I'm coming Tony..."

Her husband shakes his head 'no', already reaching down to pick her up;

"It's okay Pepper, I've got it."

His CEO gives him a look, wondering if this is some cruel joke;

"Wait, seriously?"

He nods, holding Antonia in his arms;

"Yeah, don't worry about it. Get some sleep Pep."

She tucks her hands underneath her pillow, smiling when he makes his way over to her;

"Thanks Tony."

He nods a second time, facial expression much more somber then his wife is accustomed to. She sighs, tugging the blanket over her shoulder;

"Are you okay?"

He turns his head towards her, worried she felt a need to ask;

"I'm great, I was just thinking."

"About..."

He shrugs, "Oh I don't know...Just, about how lucky we are."

She smirks, lifting a hand over his knee;

"So you do have a heart."

He shakes his head with an eye roll, watching his daughter focus on his arch reactor;

"This, isn't going to hurt her eyes right?"

"No,' Pepper rubs the back of her little girl, 'You like Daddy's nightlight?"

Tony laughs at her comment, planting a kiss over her head;

"_Night light_..."

"What?"

"So, I was thinking. Would you be up for a little trip/mission?"

She sighs, "_Ugh_, I was waiting for this."

"Cause Fury called early this morning. The thing is I want to have a little fun while we're there. I think some folks need a break anyway."

She closes her eyes, hands over her face when she yawns;

"Where are we going?"

"Well, I didn't tell the others yet but we're supposed to go to Los Angeles. Easy assignment, quick little nothing. So is that a yes?"

Pepper shrugs, "If you're going I'm going. I'll stay at a hotel with Antonia and catch up with you afterwards, that's all."

He smirks, nose to nose with his daughter;

"Hear that small fry? You're going to California."


	5. Moy Milly'

_**A/N: Warning for adult content.**_

**_ecotiger: _**_Wow. Yeah you're not busy at all. lol jk of course. How do you managed everything!? You are one busy person. You dance?! :D I dance too, well I teach now but that's awesome! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. Always nice to hear from you. :) _

**_RFK22: _**_lol,__ p__oor hulk misses his lady friend. I'm doing well thanks for asking. Keep meditating my friend. Can't afford to have you get into any more trouble with Elphaba (your boss) and her flying monkeys. :)_

**_Nova Fearnewood: _**_Aw.__ That would be cute if they did. :) I tried my hair the way you recommened, it stayed nice and curled for an hour! I was so happy with myself! It was pin-straight by the time 60 minutes was up but it's an improvement for me. haha. _

**_Irishbrneyes: _**_Aw. You're so sweet. I haven't given up on you either. :) Thanks for sharing that personal note. I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that. But the fact that you stayed strong and found something positive to look forward to is something to be commended. Your husband sounds like a sweetie. :) But you have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you. :)...'sicko papa' is in this upate by the way, and yes he begins his antics in L.A._

* * *

"Steve? Toss those pancakes my way?"

Rogers complies with a smirk, tossing a plate full like a frisbee in Darcy's direction. She gives him a thumb's up when she catches it successfully;

"Thank you Captain."

She giggles when he salutes, "You're welcome ma'am."

Darcy copies him, "Is that what they do in the army?"

Rogers smirks, checking his phone when he hears it buzzing. She lifts her eyebrows, mumbling under her breath when he ignores her to check a text from someone else;

"I just click it to open a message right?"

Barton scoffs, "That's right Grandpa. I'm so proud of you." Clint stands on his chair to catch Maria's dish of scrambled eggs. He bites his lip, smirking victoriously when the dish lands on his head;

"Oh! Tell me no one saw that."

Thor lifts his fork, mouth filled with pop tarts;

"I witnessed the event my friend."

"Oh good, one person out of how many?"

Hill pushes the archer down into his chair, gritting her teeth when he resists her;

"Clint, I'm going to kill you if you don't sit down."

Peper struggles with the baby over her shoulder, hair tied back in a messy bun when Steve offers to make her breakfast;

"I've got you covered Mrs. Stark, you can have a seat."

She smiles, "Oh, thanks Steve."

Jane stands behind her, smiling playfully at Antonia;

"Hello little girl. Hi. Pepper can I take her for a little bit?"

She shrugs, hesitant to part with her daughter this morning;

"Um, maybe after I feed her."

Ivan smirks when Pepper sits in the chair next to him, offering his open hand for the baby to amuse herself with. Tony rolls his eyes when he sees Petrovich playing with his child, standing behind Pepper when he lifts her into his arms. She whines;

"Tony! I have to feed her."

He shrugs, cuddling his little treasure;

"In a minute Pep. Steve, throw some blueberries in that for me?"

Rogers makes a face, ready to throw a few at him if he wasn't holding Antonia;

"Please?"

"Please. Where's Banner? And Little Red?"

Jane shrugs, brushing a stray hair behind her ear;

"I haven't seen them."

Darcy lifts her hand, as if she's asking permission to speak;

"Natasha sent me a text message saying that they were walking to Morning Side."

Steve shakes his head, ready to burn his finger on the oven;

"Again?! They're killing me. Can you call her Darcy? Make sure she knows Fury is supposed to show up in an hour and they need to be here."

Tony grits his teeth, kicking Rogers just hard enough for him to feel it. The Captain whips his head around to find his 'attacker' glaring at him;

"Tony I'm not kidding, enough is enough. They should've stayed in this morning."

The engineer keeps his glare;

"Don't bother them! Darcy, leave Nat alone. Where's 'Fido'?"

Jane freezes, "Uh..."

Tony snaps, "Damn it guys! That dog is like their baby! Where is he?! Someone better find him I swear!"

Darcy Lewis leans over to see Alex chewing a bone underneath the table;

"On my feet."

Stark exhales a sigh of relief, "Well then why didn't you just say so?"

Clint slips his phone into his palm;

"I'll send Nat a text."

"No! Barton, don't."

Ivan nods towards the door the instant it opens, talking with his thick Russian accent and his thumbs over his own cellular. He smirks almost suspiciously;

"Fury's here."

Tony sighs looking back at the archer;

"Okay Clint, we need them."

He shakes his head, "Yep. I'm on it."

Maria drops her fork, making eye contact with her boss with she freezes;

"I'm dead."

Fury crosses his arms, staring down at her when she smiles almost sarcastically;

"Morning Sir."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

He chuckles over Natasha's persistance;

"Come on _Vrach_, just have a little."

"Natasha, that's way too much sugar for me."

She shakes her head, shoving the piece of french toast in her mouth instead;

"A little isn't going to kill you."

"I can't risk it."

"You worry too much. You're not hungry?"

"I'm fine, I had oatmeal at home and a cup of tea at the shop."

She rolls her eyes, "Please take care of yourself?"

Romanoff narrows her focus, walking along with him before she lifts a finger to the side of his head. Her eyebrows lower when she digs through his typical dark hair, spotting a few more underlying grays;

"You stressing on me. You're going to make yourself sick if you don't stop."

He smirks, wrapping an arm around her lower back while she heads towards the lake;

"I just want to take care of you."

"You do Love. Don't think so much."

He copies her when she sits on the grass, paper plate rested on her knees while she finishes her breakfast. Bruce can't seem to keep his eyes off her, watching her bright red hair toss in the gentle breeze.

Natasha rolls her eyes when she catches him staring, giving him another smile before tossing a piece of her toast towards a few ducks;

"What are you thinking about Bruce."

He shrugs, elbows rested on his knees, "Everything."

"_Everything?_ I think that's physically impossible. Can you narrow it down for me?"

He scoffs, "Be honest, am I doing okay? I mean, am I a good husband for you?"

She tilts her head, close enough to rest her head over his shoulder;

"_Vrach,_ honey, of course."

"What do you need from me Natasha?"

She smirks, quoting him from the night before, "Love me Bruce. That's all I ask."

He wraps an arm around the back of her head, gently stroking at her hair;

"Always."

"How am I doing?"

"You're more then I could've ever hoped for. I love you so much Natasha. You're perfect to me."

She smirks, leaving her plate on the grass beside her to curl up into his side. She wraps her arm around his, cheek laid over his shoulder;

"I had a dream last night, about us."

Bruce chuckles, "Should I be concerned?"

Natasha presses her lips against his cheek;

"Well, about the first time we met, but it went a lot smoother."

"So, you didn't threaten me at gunpoint?"

She chuckles, "No, but I was babbling like an idiot because I was too busy admiring your physical features to form proper sentences. Too busy wondering if you were up for an illicit relationship to even talk about the tesseract."

He covers his mouth, ready to burst out laughing while she continues, laughing herself;

"I walked out of there with your number though...I went running back like, 'oh crap that's not what I came for'. And you said I was amusing."

"Well, I did find you amusing."

"You probably told me that once before and it just stuck...I don't know."

Bruce turns his body to face her, chuckling when she grabs his hand in a thumb wrestle. She smirks, brushing a stray hair behind her ear. She uses her right hand, quick to throw her thumb over his. He smiles with his eyes, lips curved up slightly when he covers hers;

"Tell me something."

Natasha tilts her head, "Okay. Sometimes I wish I was an inch or two taller."

He scoffs, "You're telling me."

"Ivan always said that, big things come in small packages. You're not short Bruce, if that's what you think."

"I'm the shortest guy in the tower. And when Pepper wears heels, she's even taller than me. Now that's humiliating."

"Well, your other half puts them all to shame."

He smirks, "I didn't think about that. And why do you need to be taller?"

She shrugs with a laugh, "To be taller than Clint?"

The red-head gives him a look when he wins for the second time in a row;

"I used to make Ivan get me magic markers, so I could write on the living room wall."

"Classy Natasha.

"What? It was just the two of us. Papa didn't care,' She bites her lip when she tackles his finger with her own, 'Your turn."

He circles his thumb around to avoid her 'attack';

"One of my experiments blew up in my first year of college."

She chuckles, grabbing his thumb while she waits for him to say something else;

"And I like how you switched our pillows last night."

"You figured that out huh?"

"Yours is a little more broken into...Um, sometimes I write to you, when I'm in the lab alone."

"Do you? And how come I've never seen these letters?"

"Because most of the time I just tell you instead...You can't keep winning."

She scoffs, sticking her tongue out sarcastically. He shakes his head;

"Um, I really hate fireworks."

"Me too. And I hate fireplaces for, obvious reasons."

He nods, making quick eye contact with her before answering, "I figured as much."

She lifts her eyebrows when he wins twice in a row, ready for sweet 'revenge' after she confesses;

"I used to be afraid of bats."

"My Aunt used to get mad at me for making gadgets in the shed."

"Papa got me a tarantula when I was little, ' she laughs when she loses,'...And, sometimes I dream in black and white."

"And..."

Romanoff rolls her eyes when he holds her thumb down, waiting for another one. She shrugs;

"I like wearing baggy pajamas...?"

"I like you in baggy pajamas."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome,' Bruce shakes his head, when her phone starts to buzz, 'Your phone's ringing."

Natasha gives him a look, "When you lose, you're supposed to say something I didn't know."

"You didn't know that I heard it."

She squeezes his hand before letting him go, rolling her eyes when she checks it;

"It's just Clint."

"Aren't you going to answer it?"

"No! He knows where I am."

"It's up to you, but you probably should. Just make sure he's alright."

She sighs answering her cellular device begrudgingly;

"_What's wrong Barton_."

Banner smirks when she listens to him, planting a gentle kiss over her forehead. She pushes him playfully, smile over her face when he tries to tickle her. She whispers, tugging her husband from off of her by his shirt collar, still trying to listen to Clint;

"_Vrach! Sweetheart_...I'm listening Clint, sorry. So Fury's there? No problem we're coming.- Bye."

Bruce makes a face when he stands up before she does, leaving his hands by her to help lift her up. She throws her hands into his, accepting his unnecessary help while she sighs;

"One day was all I wanted. One day alone with my _Vrach_."

He wraps an arm around her lower back to keep her close to him;

"Barton called about a mission?"

"Unfortunately. Are you up for it?"

He lifts his eyebrows, brown orbs fixed on her hazel stare;

"Are you?"

She shrugs, biting her lower lip when she tilts her head indecisively;

"Sure why not. It'll be fun."

He gives her a look she blushes over, forced to admit the truth just from his nonverbal expression;

"...No, I am not."

"Then why are you lying."

She corrects him, "Exaggerating. Part of me wants a distraction and the other part of me wants to stay in bed and cry. On your pillow of course. In your navy blue button-down. While you hold me. And whisper something that makes me feel like I'm still important...Maybe write something to the child we'll never have-"

Banner pauses in their walk to turn her body gently towards his while he looks at her eyes;

"Natasha, talk to me."

She shakes her head, trying hard to appear unaffected, "What? I'm fine. Just venting."

He smirks consolingly, gentle hand over her cheek, "You're not _fine_ Natasha. I want you to vent but I also want you to be honest with me. Let's just say it like it is; this is tearing you apart. I know that, I'm not blind."

Her head lowers, face wrinkling up when she feels like crying. She throws her hands over her face, too numb to realize he's already wrapped his arms around her and laid her head over his shoulder. Natasha let's loose, letting her tears flow freely for the first time in a while in his protective embrace. He kisses her cheek, feeling her arms snake around his neck while her face stays buried. Bruce rubs her back, wanting nothing more than to ease her pain and fix everything;

"Just tell me Natasha, I'm here for you. I'm not going anywhere."

"But you know already."

"Natasha, I want to hear what's on your mind. It matters to me."

She sniffles, "...I want to carry your child so bad...I want us to be parents. I want to be a mom- To give our baby the things we didn't have...I feel so stupid Bruce, sometimes I feel like, I'm not good enough for you...I want to be but I'm not-"

He hugs her closer, somewhat angry over her last remark, "Stop, stop. That's not true. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. And even we're not meant to have our own little miracle- Natasha, I'd rather have you in my life, then 10 kids. You're still my everything Natasha. That's never going to change. I'll always be head over heels for you. You still give me butterflies and get me all tongue-tied. You are beautiful to me. Inside and out, and I love you; Just the way you are."

She shakes her head, holding him close;

"Bruce I love you so much. I just want us to be okay. I still want to spend forever with you and...I hate how long it's taking me to get over this..."

Banner plants another kiss over her cheek, thumb running under her eyelid;

"Honey, remember what you told me? There are some things we're never going to 'get over'. But the pain eases up over time. You don't forget about what happened, it just becomes a little easier to deal with. And you're not alone anymore Mrs. Banner. I'm here for you, I want to help you."

She chuckles, loving the way she carries his last name;

"I taught you well."

He smirks, tenderly lifting her chin up;

"I learned from the best."

"You're so good to me _Vrach_."

He rolls his eyes, eager to plant a kiss over her mouth. She bites her cheek when his lips travel down to her neck. She sighs, quoting him from the other day in her one words;

"God spent a little more time on you _moy milyy Vrach._"

He mumbles, lips pressed against her skin, "I know _moy_ is 'my' but what's _milyy_?"

She smiles, tender holding his face in her hands when she removes him from off of her. Natasha wastes little time in locking lips once more;

"Precious."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bruce is borderline panicking when Fury grabs at Natasha's left wrist. She grinds her teeth, right hand stopping her husband from hulking out on the director right then and there. She stands frozen, waiting to hear it.

Nick Fury shakes his head, after seeing the two bands on her fourth finger;

"Why didn't you just tell me."

She smirks sarcastically, "Because you basically forbid to do it."

Banner gives him an evil stare down, ready to burst if his wife weren't standing so close. Fury sighs, nodding to the physicist behind her;

"To him?"

"_He_ has a name."

He shakes his head a second time out of frustration before releasing her gently;

"That really screws up a team dynamic. It's like I told Stark with his family, it puts you two in a lot of danger. I've got to tell SHIELD to keep an eye out for trouble."

She tilts her head sarcastically, dragging Bruce behind her when she heads for the elevator;

"Thanks for the well wishes. We'll be right down."

Banner shuts his eyes when they reach the elevator, lips pressed tightly together while he tugs ruthlessly at his fingers;

"You should've let me at him."

"Breathe Doc, Fury's not worth your time and energy. If anything I'm glad he knows. I don't want 'us' to be a secret."

He shrugs, petting Alex when he rubs his face against the back of his knee;

"Do you even know where we're going?"

"L.A. Barton said we can leave Alex home since Tony asked Rhodes to watch the tower."

"For how long?"

She shrugs, "I heard a week."

He makes a face, "Seriously..."

Natasha bites her cheek, "Don't get anxious but I think Ivan's going too."

Bruce smirks sarcastically, "Oh, fun. Not only do I have to blow up and destroy things, I also get to be humiliated by your father."

She nudges him when he stands beside her, "Papa says he wants to change and that he's sorry for all the shit he put us through...You know, I was just thinking; I've never heard you swear."

He smirks, "Oh I have."

Natasha crosses her arms, "When?"

"When Aldon knocked you down the stairs of the subway station, and when Ross and Talbot threatened to get at you."

She smiles, resting her elbow on his shoulder and the other hand on her hip;

"So the only time you lose your composure is when I'm in danger..."

He pauses, looking her straight in the eye;

"You mean the world to me. And when some idiot tries to harm you, naturally I get angry and lose my temper. I'd do anything to keep you safe. You know that right?"

Natasha slowly leans forward, taking his lips up with her own. She whispers;

"You know, we have fifteen minutes before we're supposed to leave. And, we technically haven't, 'connected' in three weeks, which is, almost a month. Which, was our little agreement...Putting aside last month's everyday attempts, which wouldn't have been so bad if we didn't have to give you so many sedatives and tranquilizers...If you're up for, a little 'loving' I wouldn't mind."

He bites his lip, rolling his eyes with a smirk before pulling her body close to his. She chuckles, gently pressing herself into him until she feels his initial tension vanishing and he starts to give in to her. He keeps a hand over her lower back, 'drinking her down' with all the passion he could muster. Natasha pulls back for a second, hand over his pounding heart;

"You alright?"

He smirks, "With two more sedatives, and I could go for fifteen minutes..."

She nods, eyes on his lower half. She gives him a wink when her eyes flick back up to his;

"Getting a little anxious down there Love?"

He blushes a bright red out of a little embarassment, typically good at hiding and controlling his body's natural response to her arousing;

"Oh, boy. You know, it doesn't help that you're so attractive Missy."

Natasha runs her hand through his hair, "I'm flattered. The feeling's mutual my Dear."

She laughs when she falls backwards on the couch, watching him gently climb over her small body. She throws her head back, fingers tangled in his thick hair when he kisses down her neck and collarbone. Bruce smiles just to hear her whisper through a chuckle;

"_Vrach_ _lyubov moy_..."

"I love you Natasha."

She's content with his tender contact and sweet kisses. He means the world to her, the only one whose ever gotten her to smile and laugh as much as she does, and the only one she's _ever_ trusted implicitly. Natasha was almost certain this was the way real love was supposed to make her feel, confident, compassionate, and fearless.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Clint and Thor make their way through the helicarrier, quiver over the archer's shoulder as he pauses in front of his friend. His blue eyes glow when he sees Natasha fast asleep with her head on Bruce's lap, his gentle fingers laid over her hair. His eyes are closed, head rested on the heel of his hand, elbow on the table beside him.

Barton shakes his head, urging Thor to whisper when he starts to talk;

"Should we let them rest?"

He nods, "Yeah, we'll give them a few more minutes."

Steve crosses his arms when he sees them, eyes closing when he walks over to them;

"Come on guys, get up."

Clint narrows his focus, "Cap, their exhausted."

Thor lowers his eyebrows, "Two more minutes would not serve to frustrate our director."

Rogers widens his eyes, "Uh, yes it would. And Romanov's got to get her uniform on."

Bruce peels his eyes open when he hears the team in front of him, still tired when he mumbles, hand over Natasha's shoulder;

"We're coming Steve..."

The red-head yawns shamelessly, hands over her face;

"Now?"

Rogers rolls his eyes, "Yes Agent Romanov. Come on. Dr. Banner, you need to meet up with Stark and see when you're supposed to start smashing. Barton and Thor, you can come with me."

Bruce feels his eyes close, forehead rested on the heel of his hand to fix a headache. His wife presses her lips onto his cheek;

"Come on honey. Before we get in trouble."

Tony comes storming in, suit clicking against the tile when he heads for the couple;

"Red! Where's your uniform?"

She shrugs casually, standing up in her own time to head for her private quarters;

"I'll be right back."

Tony tilts his head when his friend looks up;

"You with me buddy?"

He smirks sleepily, hands shoved into his pockets when he gets up;

"We done yet?"

Stark shakes his head, "Tell me about it. It's so stupid. You probably could've stayed at the hotel with Pep, but. I think hulk needs a run."

He rolls his eyes sarcastically, spotting Ivan suspiciously lingering in the room from the corner of his eye;

"Yipee..."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Maria gives her friend a heads up from her intercom, "Heads up Clint."

He scoffs over his ear-piece, aiming his arrow with a grin on his face;

"Do your own job Maria."

"You're welcome dear."

He chuckles almost coldly, feeling Natasha nudge him with a smirk;

"Screw you!"

Hill covers her mouth when she starts to laugh, watching the episode from her computer with Darcy at her side. Lewis smirks in awe, opening another camera for her own personal use;

"This is so cool! I've never seen like, a real mission before!"

Fury gives her a look when she goes to touch his screen, slowly backing up, slightly frightened her excitement almost got her in trouble;

"Wups...sorry um, Fury."

. . .

Clint shakes his head, mumbling under his breath when Natasha leaves her post to give the green giant a hand;

"Oh boy. Be careful Widow."

She dodges forward, falling onto his shoulder to get some enemy's from off his back. He tilts his head up to look at his partner, eyes lighting up the instant he sees her. Natasha gives him a wink, balancing over his shoulder;

"How are you doing big guy?"

He gives her a smile, working a little harder to protect and defend 'his Spider'.

She cringes when her father talks through the intercom;

"Keep on eye on point 7 and 8 _Malyshka_."

She smirks, seeing her husband's alter ego has already taken care of whatever her father was concerned about;

"Hulk's got me covered Ivan, don't worry."

Tony scoffs, landing beside Steve to give him a hand;

"Where are Beauty and the Beast?"

"Two blocks down. She's on his shoulder again."

Stark laughs, "You act like that's a problem."

"No, it's just typical."

Stark shoots a missile, keeping the block quiet;

"Hey, you knew who I was talking about."

Steve makes a face, panting when he has a chance to catch his breath;

"Surprised?"

Thor comes running flying down to them, red cape flying behind him with his positive report;

"My assignment has been completed."

Tony pulls his mask back, eager to get back to Pepper and his baby;

"Good, we done?"

Steve shrugs, "As long as Barton got into the building and pinned our thief."

Stark rolls his eyes, "I told you this was excessive."

Clint lands in front of them, bow over his shoulder, "Not really, it was a good workout. It was fun."

Natasha crosses her arms when she looks at him, hulk behind her when she nudges her fellow assassin;

"Barton! Come on, fighting with me is a lot more fun then this."

Tony covers his mouth, nudging Steve to look at the green giant behind Black Widow. His large pointer finger pets gently over her bright red hair, quiet as he's ever been. Rogers mumbles under his breath over the sight with another eye roll;

"Oh please!"

Natasha gives him a look when she feels out of the loop, eyes sharp;

"What?"

Thor shrugs, "Are you aware of the large green angry one behind you?"

Romanoff shrugs casually, "Yeah I know; He's allowed. I promised forever to him too you know."

Stark shakes his head, "You big softy. Happy now? You missed your Spider friend?"

The green one smiles, "Metal friend right. Spider make hulk happy."

Natasha blushes, leaning into his larger muscular body;

"You make me happy too."

"_Malyshka_."

She cringes when she hears her father running towards her, grabbing her hands to pull her from off the hulk;

"Are you alright?"

She tilts her head, "I'm fine Papa, why are you so worried?"

"I'm always worried about these things you know how I feel about them."

Hulk moans when she's pulled from him, eyes lowering down at the pavement while he waits patiently for her to come back. Tony taps his large arm just in case, unsure of what to expect from the overprotective giant;

"She's okay buddy."

Natasha smiles after her father's done lecturing, nuzzling into his large green torso as soon as she can. Steve gives another eye roll, addressing Tony;

"We're staying at a hotel for the next few days?"

He nods, "Yep. Ivan actually suggested this one. So, we ready?"

Thor nods, "I believe I am. Once our scientist returns to us."

Stark looks over his shoulder, already seeing the green starting to vanish from his friend. Natasha holds him close, working hard to soothe his trembling and achy frame;

"It's okay, it's alright. I'm here."

Tony mumbles under his breath, unable to watch for more than a few seconds without feeling sick. He hates seeing his friend so raw and vulnerable when he was mid-transformation;

"Alright let's go. Tasha, you'll meet us?"

Romanoff rolls her eyes, holding onto her fragile lover, "Yes."

Ivan chimes in smoothly, "I'll wait with them."

Stark nods, punching playfully over his shoulder with a very straight face;

"Good. Take care of them."

He smirks, tongue over his cheek, "Don't worry. I will Mr. Stark."

Natasha sits on her heels when Bruce comes to his hands and knees, eyes closed to catch his breath. She smiles, running her hands up and down his back;

"You dizzy? Achy? Tired?"

He nods sleepily, sitting back on his own heels with a hand at his abdomen to clutch his torn pants to his waist, "Yes."

Petrovich smirks tenderly, taking off his coat and hands it to Natasha;

"Here _Malyshka_."

She nods, wrapping her shivering _'Vrach'_ to keep him warm;

"Thank you Papa...Hang on Bruce, I've got you Love_._"

Bruce feels her tender arms wrap around him in a comforting embrace, smirking when he sighs;

"Thanks Natasha."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Clint knocks on her hotel room door, hesitant to open it even when Natasha calls from inside to tell him it's 'okay'. The archer rolls his eyes when he sees her sitting cross-legged on the edge of the bed in Bruce's navy blue top;

"Nat, you're killing me."

"What? It's comfortable."

"Hubby's in the shower?"

She nods, skimming through a book while she waits for him;

"What's an 'atomic orbital'?"

Clint scoffs, "You're asking me? How can you even read that?"

Natasha smirks, "I'm not, I'm looking at the pictures."

Barton shakes his head, running his fingers aimlessly over the chair in the corner;

"Well. I'm taking Maria to the lounge. I think Thor and Jane are coming if you're interested."

The red-head gives him a look, "I am not about to drag Bruce into a 'lounge' Clint. You know better. Maybe we'll walk on the beach or something. Where's Tony and Pepper?"

"They brought Antonia to play by the pool."

"Really? It's not like, adults only?"

"Predominantly but apparently kids aren't excluded."

She huffs out a laugh when she runs her hand through her hair;

"Well, that's refreshing."

Clint bites his lip, wanting so badly to interrogate on something that wasn't his place. He had an idea what was going on, picking up on her diet change and slight variation in moods. Something told him Natasha was trying to get pregnant, it was only a logical assumption until she agreed to get a drink with him. His friend looked tired lately, even dispite her attempts to stay active. Natasha didn't apear angry or visibly upset but tired and Clint knew something was up when Bruce started to look the same way she did. He stops himself from asking any questions, eyes fixed on her bracelet to give him a distraction. She'd tell him when she was ready to tell him. As long as she still looked happy with her husband, Clint figured his own curiousity could wait;

"So you're coming? We can sit on the opposite end of the bar-"

"Bruce hates the smell of liquor for, obvious reasons."

"I know. But Steve and Darcy are going to meet us."

"So?"

"So, tell him it's completely safe. No one's going to randomly start screaming at him or beating him up. Not sure what his dad-"

"-Brian doesn't deserve that title Clint. He wasn't a father in any sense of the word...And it doesn't matter how 'safe' it is. Bruce's memory and imagination work perfectly. It's like, dragging me into a hospital. Just cause it's not on fire doesn't mean I'm comfortable. And he spent years with that sick old man, I, no. I can't make him do that."

He shrugs, making the connection a little late;

"What if Maria and I grab a drink, and we all meet in the lobby in a few minutes."

Natasha tilts her head, lowering her borrowed book for the first time in their conversation;

"Sure."

He nods, satisfied with his idea, "Cool. See you in a minute. Text me when you head down there."

She nods in response, checking her phone to see her father's name flash up on the screen;

"Okay Barton. _Preevet Ivan_."

The archer smirks, giving Banner a tap on the shoulder while he buttons his top;

"You look alive again Doc."

The physicist huffs out a laugh, keeping his head low while he puts himself back together;

"Thanks."

Natasha reaches behind her to snatch up Bruce's phone. she tosses it to him, happy when he catches it. She mouths, still listening to her father,

"Your cousin called. _Yes Papa, I hear you- No problem_. _Bye_."

She sighs, looking up at her husband, "Bruce? Would you be upset if I got a quick drink with Ivan?"

He shakes his head, tapping his pocket in search for his glasses;

"No. As long as you're okay with it. You want me to come with you? Just in case he gets you upset?"

Natasha stands up with his glasses in her hand, "I've got them _Vrach_. Sorry, I was cleaning them for you. And I can handle Papa _Vrach_, don't worry about it."

He shakes his head, sitting beside her while he tries to hold the cellular as further away to see a little clearer, "Thanks...You sure?"

She smirks, slipping them onto his face, "Positive...Better?"

He nods, "Much better. Thank you. So, Jen called?"

"You're welcome and yes. We had a nice conversation."

"I'm glad."

"Yeah, she's pretty cool. So, why don't you call her back while I meet up with Ivan?"

"I was thinking that. And, I'll be right down. I don't want to leave you with him by yourself. Sorry Natasha I don't trust him right now."

She smirks, digging through her bag for a new top, "_Hmm_. Like you have this odd gut feeling?"

He nods, "Since the mission."

She contorts her mouth, "Me too. But, don't worry about it hon. We'll figure it out. So we can meet Clint and the gang in the lobby?"

"Whatever you want Natasha."

She blushes when he gives her a wink and a smile, phone already pressed against his ear when she leans over to fix his collar. he closes his eyes, free hand wrapped around the back of her head to plant a kiss on her mouth. She pulls away when she hears his cousin answer on the other end, gently squeezing his shoulder. She whispers;

"I'll see you in a minute _Lyubov_."

Barton leans against the wall when Natasha heads into the bathroom, "I'll wait for you Nat, we'll walk together."

She rolls her eyes sarcastically, "Give me two minutes Hawkeye."

"You've got a minute and a half Widow."

Natasha grinds her teeth over his brotherly instigating, ready to bite back with a swear before she thinks better of it, remembering Bruce is within ear-shot;

"You know what...Screw you Clint."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Romanoff makes a fist when she and the archer make it to the elevator, urging him to do the same;

"Rock, paper, scissors."

He opens his mouth with an obnockcious laugh, wrapping her 'rock' with his 'paper'. She rolls her eyes, crushing his 'scissors' with her 'rock;.Barton backs out of the elevator when they reach their floor, continuing in their little game;

"Best of 5 Nat."

Darcy throws her hand in the mix when she catches up with the two-some, making 'scissors' both Clint and Natasha waste little time in 'crushing'. She whines;

"Guys! Go easy on me."

Maria smirks, walking along with them, "Add me, add me."

Rogers follows behind with his eyebrows lowered, "What, are you doing?"

Hill smiles when she beats all four of them, "I win!"

Natasha waves her hand in surrender when the group finally make it to the bar area, climbing on a stool beside her father. She picks up a small flyer, shrugging when Ivan taps her arm;

"Don't bother, I got you something special."

"How's it going Papa."

He smirks, sipping his own purchase when he slides her a glass, "Wonderful. You Natalia?"

She runs her finger over the top of it, eyes suddenly transfixed on a somewhat distant figure over Ivan's shoulder. Her body freezes, in too much of a haze to hear her noisy friends lining up in their chairs beside her.

Natasha feels her lips separate slowly and her blood run cold. Chills roll down her spine when she catches a glimpse of the figure's profile. She knew that light brown hair and sharp bright-eyed look. His bold facial features were hard to miss, large muscular body built similarly to Thor. She takes a deep breath, head bowing low when she closes her eyes, mumbling words in Russian when she realizes she hasn't even started to drink. She looks up after a moment, only to see her mystery 'friend' no longer in his place.

Ivan keeps his body turned towards her, eyebrows lowered almost compassionately. He glances over his shoulder when she stays transfixed on the now empty space, his own eyes up and down her frazzled expression;

"What's caught your attention?"

Natasha stutters, hand over her head when she tries to snap out of it;

"Uh...no. Nothing."

"Are you alright _Malyshka_?"

Her toes curl in her shoes, swallowing hard when she laughs at her wild imagination;

"Yeah, just tired. I guess."

She shrugs, scoffing to herself when she thinks about how stupid she is for even thinking up such a thing. It wasn't him, she knew better than that. But seeing his odd 'twin' was enough to leave her trembling.

Barton's eyes catch her shaky fingers, contorting his mouth when he debates on giving her his sweatshirt;

"You cold?"

Natasha shakes her head, ankles crossing as she goes on as if nothing ever happened;

"No, I'm okay."

"You sure?"

"Positive."


	6. Surprise

**_A/N: One scene in this chapter with Natasha and the bartender was inspired by 'National Treasure,' so I can't take credit for it. lol_**

**_Eclaire Stones: Yaye! :D _**

**_Nova Fearnewood: Your questions are answered in this chapter. And I'm glad you liked that line about Natasha wanting to have his child. Thanks for reviewing! :D_**

**_RFK22: Aw. You make me smile. :) thanks so much! _**

**_ecotiger: No, lol I personally do not speak Russian. Sometimes I use a translator, other times I have my friend who is learning the language check it for me. I should just ask a native speaker to be sure but sometimes I forget. One of my followers is a native speaker, I should just ask her to double check. Dancing is so much fun, I love it. I took everything but I teach tap and ballet now. It's awesome. :)_**

**_Enjoy the update! :D_**

* * *

"Clinton! I swear!"

The archer laughs, leaning over to antagonize Maria Hill until she snapped with his name. He covers his mouth to hide his smile, realizing she was still upset from being pushed off the couch in the lobby. Steve widens his eyes when Darcy points;

"Steve won."

Rogers stares at his card collection;

"I did?"

She nods, "Yeah, look."

"Oh! I did."

Thor shakes his head with a little disappointment;

"I was sure I would successfully beat all of you in this activity."

Jane chuckles, "Aw. You came close that time."

"I suppose I did."

Maria lifts a fist to slap the archer after regaining her place on the furniture. She brushes her hair back behind her shoulder dramatically;

"Where were we."

Barton bites his lip, slowly slipping his fingers over her thigh. She jumps when he pinches her, giving him an evil stare down. She tries not to laugh when she stands up abruptly;

"Okay, that's it."

Maria parks herself on the side of Banner;

"He's a gentleman Clint. Take notes."

Barton rolls his eyes, "Well I'm no gentleman."

"Bruce is very gentle with Nat, he'd never pinch her, or hit her, or, throw her off the couch. He's very kind and tender...I think you can be just a little less aggressive with me."

"_Hmm_. I'll think about it."

Maria contorts her mouth, sticking her tongue out sarcastically.

Natasha smirks, sitting comfortably over Bruce's lap with her head on his chest. She felt lucky when anyone complimented her other half, even if Maria was saying it all purely to annoy the archer.

Rogers jumps, feeling his phone vibrate in his pocket, "Oh, um. I'm getting a call. Darcy? How do I answer it again?"

She contorts her mouth suspiciously, visibly irritated when she sees a female name flash across his screen. She swipes her finger over it, tone changing quickly;

"Here. Good now?"

He narrows his focus, picking up on some of her agitation;

"Miss Darcy?"

She sighs, finding it difficult to stay mad at him for too long;

"What?"

"Are you alright?"

She nods, shuffling the deck;

"Yeah, I'm fine.' she coughs, 'Okay. Everyone's back in? Banners you guys are still a team?"

Romanoff shakes her head, smirking to feel Bruce lay his lips against the side of her neck;

"Um, actually I think we're going to head up."

Clint smirks, giving Natasha a look when she flushes a bright red over her husband's gentle touch, He whispers, face now buried in her shoulder. She chuckles, tilting her head up to kiss him.

Ivan shifts uncomfortably, coughing when Natasha goes to do it again;

"Alright _Malyshka,_ why don't you just call it a night?"

Bruce shifts his eyes over towards her father, taking the hint that Ivan has had enough of their public affection. He takes her hand, politely ready to take his leave to avoid irritating him;

"Come on."

She gets up slowly, leading him towards the elevator with their fingers intertwined. He flushes the same color as her hair when she pins him shamelessly to the wall, slowly pressing her mouth over his.

Rogers shields his eyes from the couch with a heavy sigh, mumbling under his breath;

"Let's maintain some sort of professionalism if you don't mind..."

Ivan practically growls, tossing his cards on the table when they slip into the elevator.

Clint leans back in his chair, eager to address Ivan's odd nature. He whispers, eyeing Petrovich;

"What the hell is going on."

Ivan makes a face, crossing his arms, "I don't know."

Barton nods, "I've noticed something's definitely off and it's only when you're around."

"You're out of your mind."

"Am I? Because Bruce and Nat are onto you if you plan on pulling some shit-"

Steve raises his voice, hands up in between them, "Alright, let's not start! Please! If you have something to say, say it calmly."

The archer leans back with a cautious expression, lifting the cards in front of his face;

"Forget it."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"_We're after the same, rainbows end. Waitin' 'round the bend my huckberry friend moon river, and me_._"_

Natasha swings her crossed leg, gum in the corner of her mouth when she playfully slips on his glasses left out on the table.

He smirks, kneeling in the corner to make the bed despite her lack of help. She slips them over her nose, turning her head around to see him;

"How do I look _Vrach_?"

He shakes his head, standing up straighter with his arms crossed;

"Like a librarian. What's on your cheek..."

She playfully pulls back when he reaches a hand out to brush her skin. Natasha bites her lip, knowing exactly what she's doing when he's force to climb on the bed to get to her. Bruce freezes, watching her pulls her knees in with her toes pointed;

"Can I help you Dr. Banner?"

He shakes his head when she giggles, "You are bad news."

Romanoff slips the glasses a little lower, index finger and thumb holding his frames with her other fingers flared upwards;

"And proud of it."

He lifts his eyebrows, "Don't move Natasha."

She listens, eyes closing when she brushes his fingers over her cheek. Natasha tilts her head, eyes flicking up to meet his expressive brown ones. Her fingers slip the glasses from off her face before she folds them, gently sliding them into his front pocket before running a hand through his hair;

"Can we take a walk on the beach?"

He smirks, planting a kiss on her forehead, "If that's what you would like."

She nods, "It is."

Bruce holds her hand in his, gently helping her onto her feet. Natasha gives his fingers a squeeze before letting him go. She prepares herself, waiting until they head into the hallway before nudging him with her side. She takes a large step to the left when he tries to scoop her into his arms, laughing when he catches her.

Natasha loves feeling him hold her and laugh against her neck. Her feet swing when he lifts her off the floor for a brief second, tickling her sides when her feet find the ground again;

"_Vrach_!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Pepper sighs, shifting her baby to her other hip. Tony offers a hand, almost disappointed when Pepper shakes her head 'no';

"I've got it hon don't worry."

Stark nods, brushing his wife's hair out of her way while she attends to Antonia;

"You sure baby?"

"Yeah, thanks Tony."

He smirks, satisfied when she plants a kiss on his cheek.

Darcy makes a face, staring into her empty mug while her foot brushes against the carpet. She feels like spitting when she tugs the sleeves of her sweatshirt. Putting her glasses back on when she sees Steve heading in her direction. Jane makes a face;

"Be nice Darcy."

She smirks, "He's such an idiot Jane, I can't help it. So blind."

Thor leans his chin on his hand, elbow over his table;

"Are you alright friend Darcy?"

"Yeah, I'm okay Thor. Thanks for asking."

Stark gives her a look, glancing at Steve with his stack of pancakes. Rogers smiles when he sees Darcy, handing her half of his breakfast;

"Do you like blueberries Miss Lewis?"

She nods, eyes wide with nothing but shock, "You got breakfast...for me...?"

He nods, hand on the back of his neck, "Yeah um, is that okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just surprised. Thanks."

Jane rolls her eyes, whispering quietly, "Be patient Darcy. Just be yourself and you'll be fine."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Natasha barely glances over her shoulder, smirk on her face when she checks the phone in her pocket;

"I have your phone _Vrach_. You have mine?"

He smirks, checking the one in his hands before answering his wife in front of him. He's tempted to shut it off and claim he left in the room, just because he can;

"Yeah. You need it?"

She tosses his over her shoulder, "Catch?"

He scrambles, not aware she was expecting to swap in that instant. He catches his before tossing hers;

"Ready Natasha?"

She throws her head back, catching it before she slips it into her pocket;

"I left you a message."

He smirks, "Did you get mine?"

"Where do you think I got the idea Doc?"

She barely acknowledges Clint when she bumps into him, making her way into the bustling lobby. The archer nudges her sarcastically;

"Morning Miss Rushman."

She pushes his shoulder from her way, locking arms with her husband when she gives him her full attention. The red-head faces him, backing into her father despite Bruce's attempt to hold onto her

arm and warn her. She throws her hands over her mouth, seeing Ivan spill some of his coffee over his top.

Ivan glances down, sighing before he tries to smile over it;

"Be careful _Malyshka_."

She sighs, aware that Bruce is already on his knees to clean the mess on the floor. Natasha helps her father with his top, cheeks flushed a bright red;

"Papa, I'm sorry."

"It's okay Natalia."

She tilts her head, reaching for a few more napkins left out on the table. Barton stands behind her with a stack, laughing when Maria gets on her knees to help Bruce with the floor.

Tony throws his head into his hands, jumping when he hears a thump. He's not surprised when he sees Banner's hands thrown over his forehead, cringing over his mistake. Maria covers her mouth, eyes wide the instant it happens. She instinctively takes a step back, genuinely afraid of having any contact with his alter ego.

Natasha leans over automatically, getting closer when Ivan too takes a step back;

"_Vrach_ honey! You alright?"

He makes a face, sarcasm coming out in his tone, "Fine."

Clint bites at his cheek, shaking his head when Natasha is the only one fearless enough to stay so close to him. She gently runs her fingers over his eyebrow, cringing herself when she sees he's having trouble keeping his eye open;

"Let me get you ice."

Maria jumps up napkins in her hands from the spillage;

"I'll get it."

Natasha panics, on her knees when she sits her husband in a chair. She gently removes his hand to get a better look;

"Bruce I'm sorry. It's my fault."

He soffs, "It's not that bad."

She shakes her head, knowing that circle above his eye was going to bruise. She's not surprised when she sees blood in the corner of his eyebrow. Clint hands her a napkin she quickly presses over his puncture wound, more worried about the swelling;

"Can you open your eye?"

Bruce huffs out a laugh, struggling to crack it open for half a second, "Not really."

Tony stands behind him with his arms crossed;

"What'd you do? We heard the thud all the way over there."

Natasha shakes her head, "He hit the corner of the table."

Stark knocks on the top with his knuckle, "Not cool Bro, these things are marble."

Bruce gives him a look, taking the the ice from Maria;

"I've noticed. Thanks Agent Hill."

Clint shakes his head, watching Natasha stroke gently over his back with a sympathetic stare;

"You alright Doc?"

"I've had worse Clint, this is nothing."

Romanoff chuckles with a hint of worry, "You just can't open your eye, no big deal."

He opens his good one, playfully reaching forward to tickle her. She pulls away with a chuckle, eyes widening;

"Bruce! Here, let me."

"Wait!...Clint is it bleeding?"

Natasha widens her eyes, frantically shaking her head no at Barton when he's ready to say 'yes'. Natasha knew Bruce would never let her near an injury if he was bleeding, worried about radiation. Clint contorts his mouth, not wanting to get involved;

"I don't know Doc, I can't see it from here."

The red-head chimes in quickly before Bruce can protest, "I won't touch your blood _Vrach, _I swear."

"Natasha I don't want you to get sick-"

"It's not bleeding, now _shush_."

She gets on her feet, gently resting the ice pack over his eye with her slender fingers. She keeps her free hand over his opposite cheek, rubbing tenderly while she presses the side of his face into her torso;

"20 minutes on 20 minutes off?"

He smirks, closing his eyes when he realizes there's no point in struggling to keep them open;

"And how do you know that Natasha."

"Common knowledge." She smiles, planting a kiss over his thick head of hair.

Bruce melts into her, breathing in her light perfume while she holds him close;

"I'm alright Natasha, honestly."

"Well, I don't want you to get all swollen."

Ivan rolls his eyes, muttering under his breath when he's left to clean his shirt off by himself;

"Natalia?"

She stays put, focused on helping her husband, "In a minute Papa."

Bruce sighs, wishing Ivan wasn't so demanding. He doesn't want her to move, comfortable in her gentle arms despite his attempt to shut up Petrovich;

"Go help your father Natasha, it's just a bruise."

She lowers her eyebrows, angered by his suggestion;

"_Shh_. He can take care of himself. You're half-blind right now."

He keeps his eyes shut, not even bothering to try to open them anymore;

"Do you have Asprin on you Natasha?"

Pepper chimes in after hearing the physicist mumble;

"They have it in the gift shop."

Clint shrugs his shoulders, leaving a stack of coffee filled napkins over the table;

"I'll get it."

Romanoff shakes her head 'no';

"I have some in the room, I'll just run up and snag it. Maria, can you stay with Bruce?"

Banner protests, holding the ice when she lets him go;

"I've got it honey."

Hill contorts her mouth, watching the doctor take the ice from his eye disobediently. She cringes, seeing the black and blue forming on his eyelid. She reaches forward, slightly firmer then Natasha when she forces it over his eye;

"Just let me help you Doc."

"I'm fine Agent Hill, really."

"Don't be so stubborn! _Men!"_

Natasha double checks her pockets before heading towards the elevator, aware that Barton offered to follow her;

"I'll be right back."

The red-head keeps her eyes low, pushing a few buttons when she plans on jumping in on the first one available. Barton shakes his head, breaking the silence;

"I like him, but your boy's such a clutz."

She smirks, huffing out a laugh over his comment. Her eyes flick upwards, head quickly lowering back down the instant she spots a dark figure exit with a two-some from the elevator beside them. His bold features, sharp eyes, and confident stance were hard to miss. Natasha jumps into the elevator quick to close the doors once Clint enters.

Barton lowers his eyebrows, eyes fixed on her body when she wraps her arms around herself to take a deep breath;

"You alright?"

She nods, wondering if he can hear her heart pounding. This was her second mistake, refusing to admit her problem to herself or anyone else;

"Fine."

_Alexei, it couldn't be Alexei. _She shook, trembling as she exits the floor. She runs ahead to get to her door, key in her hand when he gives her a second chance;

"You can tell me Nat."

She shakes her head 'no', digging through her duffel when she enters the room;

"I'm alright Clint, really."

He nods, inviting himself through the drawers to help her search;

"What does Doc want?"

"He needs a pain killer. Probably doesn't help that he's had a migraine since this morning."

Clint shrugs, closing the drawer empty handed, "He gets headaches a lot doesn't he?"

She shrugs, mumbling under her breath;

"From all his sedatives, tranquilizers_..._"

Barton lifts a vial, "Is Ibuprofen good enough?"

Natasha nods, "That's fine."

She stands up tapping her pockets, eyes hazing when she holds her cellular to read the caller I.D. Her fingers go numb, mouth opening slightly when she starts to tremble. Her body goes limp, falling onto the bed behind her as she tries to breathe. All over a name that hasn't flashed up on her screen in years...

Barton lowers his eyebrows, hesitantly taking a step towards her;

"Nat?"

The assassin looks up at him with a hint of fear in her eyes, swallowing before she shakes her head. She's surprised when it stops, flashing a missed call over her screen. Her eyes close when she shoves her item back into her pocket;

"I'm fine."

"You ready?"

"Yep."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .

Barton lowers his eyebrows, watching a frantic Natasha Romanoff-Banner dodge a glance from a bold looking gentleman. Clint jumps when she pulls him into the corner beside her, panting heavily when she struggles to open her eyes;

"Clint, just look at me and tell me you saw that man in the black top too."

He crosses his arms suspiciously;

"The one you keep jumping over every time he passes you?"

She swallows, cheeks flushed of their color. She's just happy he sees it too;

"Yes. You've noticed?"

"He looks like Russian Mafia material. He keeps looking at you."

Natasha throws her head against the wall, trembling when her heart starts to pounding;

"Oh my God, Clint I feel sick..."

"Why? You know him?"

She panics, tone changing when she lowers her eyebrows in confusion;

"I don't know! He looks familiar but I know for a fact it can't be who I think it is!"

"Then what are you worried about?"

Natasha holds her hands behind her back, fingers trembling while she nervously twirls her silver wedding band;

"I don't know."

Clint nods, "Who is he? Or, who does he look like, remind you of."

She shrugs knowing she doesn't want to tell him the truth;

"Uh...someone I've had affiliations with in the past."

"No kidding."

"In Russia, on a mission. I thought he was-I know he's dead."

Clint shrugs, "Okay well, don't confuse reality with your imagination."

Natasha swallows one more time, still afraid to move.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bruce tries hard not to pull from Maria, heart pounding a mile a minute due to his temporary discomfort. He appreciated her help but he still wasn't comfortable being touched by just anybody, and his well-meaning wife seemed to have forgotten about that. He starts his breathing exercises in an attempt to calm down and stop himself from trembling. He knew Hill wouldn't hurt him but complete trust in anyone other then Tony, Natasha, and _maybe_ Pepper was almost impossible for the cautious physicist.

Hill could pick up on his uneasiness, not sure why he was still so distrustful;

"You okay Doc?"

He answers quickly, not wanting the agent to misunderstand and take it personally;

"Yeah, fine."

She could've sworn he loosened up the instant Natasha came back into the room. Maria smiles, admiring how close they'd become. Neither one of them has to say a word before she's smiling and he's shaking his head, wondering what she'll come out with next.

Natasha chuckles over his reaction;

"Hey, you got one eye open _Vrach_."

He takes the pills from Clint in a quick attempt to 'dry swallow', ready for relief;

"Thanks Clint."

"No problem."

Romanoff lays a hand over his ice pack to remove it and get a look for herself. She gently tilts his head to get a clear picture;

"You did a number on this one honey, it's all black and blue."

"...It'll heal Natasha."

"I know but I feel bad."

"Don't, it's fine."

Ivan lightly taps her shoulder;

"Natalia can I borrow you for a second?"

She hesitates, eventually complying when she realizes she's brushed him off for long enough;

"What Papa?"

Natasha sighs when he hands her his dirty top, readjusting his clean one when he pays more attention to his phone;

"I have to take his phone call right now, it's for work. Can you just put this in the laundry for me _Malyshka_?"

She obeys begrudgingly, hardly aware of Bruce glaring at him from behind her. He found it borderline disturbing Ivan would order her around like that.

Romanoff gives her husband a gentle squeeze over his shoulder when she sees him tensing;

"_Shh_, he's not worth it _Vrach_. I'll be right back."

Petrovich smirks almost deviously back towards Banner, parking in the chair beside him. Bruce looks him up and down, picking up on a nasty vibe when the Russian slips with a chuckle.

The physicist feels the green under his skin, calmly rolling his tongue over the roof of his mouth before he can utter a word;

"What are you doing to her Ivan."

He shakes his head, eyes fixed on Banner's sharp brown ones;

"Oh nothing. That looked like it hurt...when you hit the table. Anyway, I have to meet someone in the lobby in about fifteen minutes, you want to come? I mean, you did marry Natasha, whether or not I approved, so I figure I owe you some time. It's a quick walk, from here to that room off the corner. Coming?"

Bruce nods cautiously, keeping his eyebrows low. Clint takes a step behind them, eager to keep an eye on things;

"I'll come too. If you don't mind."

Ivan nods, "Of course."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Natasha keeps the shirt in her arms, turning the dial for the washing machine while she lays her quarters in their respective slots. She can smell the laundry detergent, and there's something about it that makes her want to go home.

She hums _'Moon River' _to herself, soft enough under the noise of the other machines. Her fingers roll against the metal while she waits for it to start up. She feels her blood run cold when she sees a taller man push through the doors. She panics, ducking with her back against a machine. She could see him perfectly that time, looking him dead in the eye before she resolved to hide.

_It couldn't be him, he was dead! Fury, SHIELD, everyone told her so..._

Natasha throws her hand over her forehead, feeling dizzy over the sight. He's eyes were that light hazel color, hair kept similarly to Clint with it's light brown color and style. His frame was just how she remembered it, firm and borderline threatening to any onlooker who didn't know any better. Her heart pounds out of her chest when she makes the connection, recalling the chain that hung around his neck with a gold wedding band on the end. She didn't need to see the etching in the middle to know it was him.

Her heart felt like it was in her throat, tears in her eyes when she struggles with denial. Her hand subconsciously reaches for her pistol, slowly peering over the machines. She takes a step back, pushing her way through the doors after abandoning her wash.

She struggles to hold herself together, not sure how to feel about seeing him again. Even if she is happy he's alive, she's not sure she wants to own up to it. She's not ready to see him again, not even sure if she _wants_ to. Her stomach is twisting in knots, thoughts switching to her precious _Vrach_ the instant she turns a corner. Natasha clenches a fist, anger streaming through her veins though she's not sure who to blame for the lie.

She runs through the grounds and the buildings, dashing along the path when she mistakenly glances over her shoulder. Natasha weaves in between people when she realizes she's being followed. He looks suspicious, as if he hasn't made the same connections she has.

She tries to hide in the crowds..._and damn her bright red hair!_

Natasha panics, leaping behind the bar area. She closes her eyes, hearing the bartender widens her eyes when she makes her move;

"You know you don't belong here."

She pants heavily, pinning her back against the stand;

"I'm trying to hide from my ex-husband."

The woman glances up inconspicuously;

"Who?"

Natasha whispers, still trying to catch her breath, "He's in a black top..."

"Mustache? Brown hair?"

"Yes."

She wrinkles up her face, "Child, stay as long as you like."

"Thank you."

Natasha trembles even more, feeling as if she's about to faint when she hears him addresses the bartender;

"Have you seen a woman, short bright red hair..."

"Nope. Sorry. Can't help you."

"Purple top? Thin?"

"Nope."

"Jeans, hazel eyes..."

"Are you deaf?"

He releases an exasperated sigh, rolling his eyes before he answers his buzzing phone.

The woman rolls her own eyes, looking back at Romanoff once he disappears;

"_You_ can do better."

_. . . . . . . . . . . . . . _

Ivan jumps up from his spot on the public furniture, smiling when he lays an arm on the man in front of him. Bruce feels his heart drop the instant he sees him, painfully listening to Petrovich when he opens his mouth;

"Alexei, Bruce; Bruce Alexei. Oh and that's Clint."

Barton stands up with his arms crossed, eyes sharp when he offers a friendly handshake;

"It's a pleasure."

Banner stands frozen, vague expression over his face when he mumbles;

"Alexei...Shostakov..."

His nod and smile succeed in twisting Bruce's gut. He feels like he can't breathe, fingers going numb when the Russian continues to talk;

"And you're Dr. Banner no? I've heard about you. Genius in your field huh?"

Bruce waits in denial, unable to take his eyes off the taller gentleman. Clint contorts his mouth suspiciously;

"So you know Romanoff...?"

His eyes light up, "Of course, she's my wife."

Barton's eyes widen, mouth slightly agape now that he's completely at a loss for words. Bruce feels his knees start to shake, even more light-headed and dizzy then he was before. His chest hurts, heart pounding in his throat. He's not sure how to feel, shocked, angry, and slightly bitter all at the same time.

Ivan carries on as if he thought nothing of it;

"Can I get you a drink Alex?"

Bruce shakes his head chiming in whether or not he should;

"Natasha thought you were in an accident...on a mission."

Shostakov lifts an eyebrow, "_Natasha? _You're that close with Natalia to call her by her first name?"

Clint buds in, shoulder to shoulder with the physicist to keep him upright;

"We both are-"

Ivan stammers, "They're on the same team, for work."

Alexei's eyes seem to widen, "Oh! I read about it. Are you all here? Even the green one?"

Barton scoffs, nodding towards the doctor, "You're looking at the 'green one'."

. . . . . . .

Natasha freezes the instant she walks through the door, heart thumping when she sees both Bruce and Clint face to face with Alexei. She takes a step forward, eyebrows lowered when she raises her voice;

"Ivan!"

He smiles, "Natalia! How are you? Look whose here."

Shostakov's eyes seem to glow when he sees her scooping her into his larger muscular embrace despite her clenching a fist;

"Natasha!"

She takes a deep inhale, cringing with tears in her eyes. She hugs him back, emotions clashing inside of her. She feels like throwing up when he lets her go, grinding her teeth before she growls, successfully throwing a punch towards Alexei. He ducks, causing her to swing at the air. Natasha goes off in Russian eyes wide and frantic when she mainly addresses her father.

Alexei just shakes his head, wrapping a hand around the back of her head with tears in his eyes. She freezes when he kisses her, grinding her teeth over one another before she slaps him;

"You lied to me!"

He just chuckles, brushing a tear from his eye before holding her in his arms. She struggles more interested in resolving things verbally. He shakes his head, dipping her down while she squeals. His excitement is evident;

"You never change Tasha! I missed you so much! Look at you! Short hair..."

"So?"

He shrugs, kissing her a second time, "I like it."

She closes her eyes, tear slipping from the corner of her eye despite her rough attitude. She screams, muffled when Alexei just holds her closer;

"Ivan! Al!"

"I love you Natasha."

"I know..."

"Didn't you miss me?"

"Oh Al, of course I did...Al!"

She lowers her eyebrows, squealing when he lifts her off the floor;

"Okay! Put me down now."

Bruce lowers his head, lump in his throat when he whispers politely to Ivan;

"I'll be right back."

Petrovich nods, "Take your time. I'm sure this is difficult for you."

Bruce just shakes his head, giving Natasha one more glance before making his way from the group. Clint turns to follow him, whispering through his clenched teeth;

"Where are you going?! Don't let him win Doc..."

Banner refuses to look at him, sick to stomach when he answers in a whisper;

"I'll be in the room."

Barton shakes his head, grabbing both his shoulders slightly rougher then he initially intended;

"Doc! Wait, let me come. All things considering-"

"I want five minutes Clint! Alone! I don't think that's unreasonable!"

The archer releases him hesitantly with a nod, rolling his eyes when he heads for his own room. His blue eyes narrow in Romanoff's direction, hoping she saw the tears in Banner's before he disappeared.

Natasha buries her head on Alexei after realizing her fighting for him to let her go is completely futile. She feels another tear roll down her cheek when her pounding heart starts to leave her completely numb. She glances up at him;

"I thought you were dead-"

"-Long story."

"I deserve an explanation."

"You'll get it. Right now I'm just so happy to see you."

She lowers her head back onto his chest, eyes closing when she sees _his_ fragile frame, subconsciously wishing she was in his far more gentle embrace. Natasha ducks, freeing herself from Alexei when she suddenly makes a mad dash for the stairs.

. . . . . . . . .

Bruce closes his eyes when he gets to his room, hand over his temple before he starts to tug at his hair. His heart aches at the thought, trembling just to hear her laugh or see her smile in someone elses arms. He felt guilty for crying, falling forward on the bed and pillow closest to him when he exhales a shuddering breath. Tears fall onto his mattress, hands clenching onto the blanket underneath him for some sort of comfort and escape.

He hates himself for falling in love with her in the first place, finding it difficult to breathe the more he inhales the sweet perfume over her pillow. He should've known better, after everything that happened between him and Betty, to even think about trying again. But he trusted her, _she wouldn't lie would she?_ He doubted it. He loved her too much to think like that for more than a second.

He sits up abruptly when the door opens, knowing it's to late for him to hide his reddened nose and cheeks. It helps a little when he sees that Natasha's reddened features match his. She shakes her head 'no', still in denial herself. She panics throwing her arms around him tearfully;

"Hold me...?"

He tries to stay strong for her, arms wrapped around the red-head when she whispers through her tears;

"I had no idea Bruce...I'm so confused..."

He closes his eyes, letting her cry over his shoulder if it meant holding her for another minute.


	7. You Heart-Breaker

**_A/N: This morning, I was missing 5 keys on my keyboard. They just jammed up and snapped off. It was bizarre! I fixed everything but my quotations key. I'm functioning okay without the key cover but its annoying be forced to hit the button directly. Anyways! Hope youre doing well! :) _**

**_RFK22: lol Hulk is losing his mind right about now. Tony won't be too happy either...Hope you like the update! _**

**_Nova Fearnewood: Ivan's an idiot. Aww. :( Next chapter is the final decision. (Btw, I am so excited for the sequel for TSOYL. You have no idea. :) )_**

**_Irishbrneyes: Thank you so much! :D That's so kind of you. Oh yes, Bruce is definitly going to be the one holding Natasha up this time around. lol. I imagine Alexei as this, big, bulky, football player, Asgardian type, sort of bold facial features. Strong chin, short hair (sort of like Clint). His eye color is light but there's an eery feeling about them. Borderline scornful and cold. Someone intimidating when he has to be. He's almost like he's an aquired taste(?) Younger version of Ivan? lol I don't know. Hope this helps a little. :)_**

**_ecotiger: Of course! Ivans a jerk. lol lets kill him together. :) Enjoy the chapter! Hope flute lessons are going well. _**

* * *

The younger Russian nods to the woman behind the counter as she slips him his glass of liquor. His eyes lower, hanging on every word Ivan has to say. His mouth opens, waiting for a oppertunity to chime in;

"So, that was Bruce? The shorter one?"

Ivan rolls his eyes, "Yes."

Alexei nods, dazed as his finger slides over the table;

"I, had a different impression. Someone younger, taller, less um...smart? I didn't think Natasha was the intellectual type."

Petrovich scoffs, sipping from his own glass;

"She got desperate for a little attention. If she was in her right mind she wouldn't have fallen for him."

Shostakov lifts his eyebrows, expression slightly vague;

"You really don't like him do you."

"Short, thin, and weak with no self-esteem. He's distrustful, quiet, and just strange. A radioactive green mutant with a dark temper and a sarcastic mouth. His dad beat the crap out of him and that abusive nature is in his genes. It manifests itself when he breaks loose...you'll see."

He takes a deep breath, hand running over his mouth;

"Well, I know Natasha wouldn't put up with anyone who gave her trouble-"

"You're back now so it doesn't matter."

"Yeah but...she's not hooked on this guy..."

"No! Not at all. It's infatuation, not love. Take her home for a month, reestablish yourselves...I guarantee she'll never talk about him again."

Alex just nods, keeping his eyes low;

"Maybe I should give her more time- I mean I've been gone for so long-"

"Nonsense! She misses you! She still loves you Alexei! Listen, you've technically been with her a lot longer than Banner; it's obvious she belongs with you, and you know that."

"Yeah but, I mean I just show up unexpectedly...Did you tell her?"

"Tell her what."

"About me, about the accident Fury misunderstood."

"Never said a word."

"Good. Because I'd like to tell her myself."

"Carefully."

Alexei nods his head, eyes vague with a questioning stare;

"Yeah. Um...I've got a question. I'm a little confused Ivan. About her friend..?"

"Who?"

"Bruce. They're not, _serious_ right?"

"Banner's not interested in _her, _trust me. He used Natasha as a stepping stone to get over another woman, Besty-someone, but there's nothing between them. Don't think so much, just listen to me; Bruce isn't like _us_. And he's the one who bud into an establish relationship not you. You married to her for God sake! She's your wife isn't she?"

"Yes."

"Then why would you even think about giving up?!"

"I wouldn't. I know I didn't lose _her_, I just want to make sure I didn't lose her _heart_. I don't want her to be dreaming about someone else for the rest of her life."

Ivan shrugs his shoulders, "Even if it started out that way, you could get her to change her mind. Get things back to the way they were before. You remember those good old days."

He nods with a smirk, sipping his liquor, "Oh yeah."

"Natalia does too. She talks about you all the time, keeps your picture on her dresser. You're still the only one she cares about."

"She's gorgeous Petrovich. And boy, she hasn't aged a bit."

"Glad she's yours?"

"Oh hell yes."

Petrovich lifts his glass before giving him a wink;

"You're welcome."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

She hated sitting so close to him and feeling like he was so far away. Her arms wrap around herself with her head bowed low. She whispers, worried about her friend when he hasn't said a word;

"Talk to me Bruce, please. I'd rather hear you scream swears at me then keep it all inside."

He burries his face in his palms, exhaling a heavy breath;

"I wouldn't 'scream swears' at you Natasha. You know that."

She bites her lip, hands nervously rubbing over her skin;

"This is Ivan, Bruce. I had no idea...Don't you believe me?"

He slowly slips his hands from his face, standing up to pace towards the desk;

"Of course I do."

"Fury told me was dead Bruce. That he was killed on a mission...what was I supposed to think? _Ugh._ And you think I'm no different then anyone else whose ever manipulated you!"

He sighs, hearing her tone change. He knows Romanoff is slowly building her wall back up, nervous about the future. Bruce tilts his head compassionately when he looks back at the red-head. He stands a little closer, hands shoved in his pockets when he offers a consoling tone;

"Natasha, I hold nothing against you."

She lowers her head, trying to looking him in the eye to stay tough. She panics when he heads for the door, hazel eyes wide;

"Bruce, where are you going? What are you doing? "

He shakes his head, turning back to face her;

"I know what I _have_ to do I just-"

She jumps up, voice changing instantly;

"_Vrach_ no! Please!"

'Natasha, don't-"

"You wouldn't leave me! Please don't leave me."

He holds her shoulders, loosening his firm grip after he stops her from throwing her arms around him;

"Natasha. Stop!"

She whispers, lips trembling almost as badly as she is. She shakes her head 'no', holding onto his elbows;

"Bruce! Bruce, please!"

"You married Alexei-"

"I promised you-"

"You loved him first Natasha. It's only fair if I go-"

"It's not fair!"

He softens his hold, gently brushing a loose tear from her cheek;

"Miss Romanoff; You've got to listen to me-"

"I can't! You're talking nonsense!"

He sighs, lock hung over his eyebrows, "What I did was wrong whether or not we knew any better-"

"Bruce..."

"You and I both know where you belong and it's not with me-"

"But-"

He lays a gentle finger over her lips, struggling to maintain eye contact with her;

"_Shh_. Listen to me."

She inhales a shuddering breath eyes closed while she waits for words she knows she doesn't want to hear. She shivers over his tender touch, heart aching the instant he opens his mouth;

"I fell in love with a married woman, it wasn't the other way around. I know how he feels, I've been on the receiving end you know that, I've told you. I don't want to hurt Alexei and I don't want to hurt you. You're safer with him anyway. He's stronger...and a lot taller too."

Natasha just shakes her head, unable to say a word. He sigh, gently lifting her chin up;

"He loves you Miss Romanoff. You saw his face when you jumped into his arms. And you care about him just as much so don't even lie-"

"I don't know what I want-"

"Yes you do, we both do. You want stability, love and family, and Alexei can give you almost all of that plus a lot more. You'd break his heart if you left him."

She glances up with her tearful stare, head collapsing into his chest;

"But what about you. I promised you forever Bruce, and I meant it."

He can hardly handle how close she is, dying to wrap her up into his arms. He struggles to swallow the lump in his throat, gently lifting her from off of him;

"Natasha..."

She snaps, anger in her tone;

"Bruce, don't do this to me."

He shakes his head, pulling from her when he's sure he's about to break down and cry;

"It's better this way."

"No! Bruce please! Please just think it over! We can talk- Don't just pick up and go please! I'm not ready for this!"

He runs a gentle hand over her cheek;

"_Shh_, it's okay. It's going to be alright. Just give it a little time. You'll be alright, you'll see."

She trembles, wrapping her arms around herself;

"_Vrach_..."

He tries to smile;

"It's not like I won't see you. I'm not leaving the planet...It'll just be different that's all. Like Clint-"

Her breathing changes, hands over her cheeks;

"But Bruce! You mean so much to me, I said I wouldn't hurt you. I promised never to break your heart."

He gently removes her hand from her face, using his index finger to brush away her tears;

"You never hurt me Natasha. You've given me, a lot more then I could've ever asked for."

She catches his hand, leaning into his touch;

"I just- I don't want to lose you."

He bites his cheek, still trying to stay strong for her;

"And you won't. I care about you too much to just, say a permanent 'goodbye'."

"Then stay."

"I can't Natasha you know that."

"You have to-"

"Don't argue with me Miss Romanoff. You're not making this any easier."

Natasha shakes her head, bitter when he turns from her;

"Look at me Banner!"

He sighs, complying with tears in his eyes;

"I am Natasha, and the look in your eyes is killing me-"

"Bruce! I care about you!"

He shakes his head, clenching his teeth when he tries to justify the decision in his mind;

"If you don't go you'll regret it, I know you!"

"If you knew me you'd know how badly I need you! Ivan can go to hell and Alexei, he-"

He crosses his arms, waiting for her to say something he knows she couldn't no matter how hard she tried. He almost needed to know that she still cared about that Russian downstairs, and that he was doing the right thing;

"He what?! Go ahead Natasha, say it."

She stammers, angry at him for his sarcasm. She grinds her teeth, furious more with her 'father' then anyone else. Natasha felt so happy not 3 hours ago, content with her life before Alexei showed up and turned everything upside down. Her stomach twists, almost ready to hit her _Vrach _when she clenches a fist out of frustration.

_Hell she could give him two black eyes if she wanted to, and he knew it. _

She stops herself throwing her face into her palms when she starts to let her tears slip from her eyes. She couldn't hurt him, _she loved him too much_. Guilt swarms over her for even thinking about hitting that fragile physicist, no matter how confused she was.

He stays put, trusting she wouldn't mean it even if she did decide to take a swing. Bruce releases a heavy sigh when she hides, shaking her head when she mumbles:

"I can't- I can't..."

Bruce loses his stern expression, tenderly trying to look her in the eye. He gently rubs her shoulder when she falls back into him;

"Breathe Natasha, it's going to be alright. You promised to support me in my decisions right?"

"Yes."

"Well this is one of those decisions. Miss Romanoff, I don't like it anymore then you do, but we don't have a choice. Spare Alexei the heartbreak for heaven's sake, you have no idea what he's been through."

"You're looking at this the wrong way. Alexei isn't like you Bruce."

"Is he mean to you?"

"No."

"Does he respect your opinions?"

"Of course-"

"Then that's where you belong."

Romanoff can't utter a word, busy crying against the steady, comforting thump of his heartbeat. He's already trying to distance himself and she knows it, already building up that wall she worked so hard to tear down.

He sighs, tenderly removing her from off of him one more time before brushing her tears. He slips her stray hair behind her ear when she picks up on his uneasiness no matter how hard he tried to hide it. Natasha knows he wants to vent, probably destructively based the green tint in his brown eyes. He lowers his head, when she calls him by the nickname she's given him.

The instant he hears _'vrach' _all the memories come rushing back. Heart aching over the sound of it. His head stays low when he head from the room to the hallway. She follows him, eyes wide when she looks up;

"Bruce please! Let me talk to Alex, let me tell him-"

"Miss Romanoff."

She sighs, biting her lip when he lifts a gentle hand towards her shoulder. Bruce can't watch her cry, and he knew holding her would do nothing to ease his tension or sooth his anger.

Her eyes close when he drops his hand, lip quivering when she watches him walk off without another word.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"And what's he doing here?!"

Darcy lowers her eyebrows, ready to fight when Clint shares a little information in his hotel room with the small group that gathered. Thor sits dumb-founded, completely frozen as he tries to make sense of it;

"Was he not killed?"

Barton paces, shrugging his shoulders at the demigod, "Apparently not."

Jane widens her eyes, hands over her cheeks, "What are we going to do?"

Clint shakes his head, "I have no idea."

She sighs, leaning into Thor, "I'm so confused."

Darcy throws her hands on her hips suspiciously;

"You've been awfully quiet Maria. Don't you have something to say?"

Hill scrolls through her phone, eyes flicking upwards when she realizes she's being stared at;

"What did I do."

The archer crosses his arms;

"You know something."

She sighs, running a hand through her hair;

"I- knew _of_ him."

Darcy snaps, "Spill!"

Steve gently lowers her hand when she makes a fist;

"Calm down Darcy."

Maria sighs, "Shostakov as working for us when they got married, I was there when we got the call that he had died. He was testing a rocket when the aircraft blew up...Fury put it on speaker for the records. The fact that he survived the crash is almost unbelievable. Apparently he's been hiding in Russia all this time."

Thor sharpens his focus, "Why would he not return to Lady Romanoff?"

"I don't know. But I just tried to reach Fury, to see if he has any information."

Clint shrugs, "Are you sure it's really him? Ivan seems desperate to separate Nat and the Doc, I feel like he'd try anything."

Maria nods, "I agree. Believable, his identity was the first thing I checked."

"And?"

"It's Alexei."

Barton swings his foot into the dresser, just loud enough to make a noise, "Damn it."

Rogers stands up to answer the door when he hears an aggressive knock, rolling his eyes when he hears Tony's voice;

"Open up guys. I know you're in there."

He barely waits for Steve to open the door before inviting himself in, eyes wide;

"Someone better tell me what's going on and why I'm the last to know."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Banner. You disappeared on me."

He cringes, regretting looking over his shoulder when he sees he's being followed. The physicist keeps walking, hands in his pockets. He debates on ignoring him, realizing it's impossible when Ivan catches up to walk beside him:

"Alexei was looking for Natasha. Have you seen her?"

"I don't know where she is." He mumbles, turning around to face the Russian when he reaches the elevator, a few feet from a dead end. Bruce lowers his focus, determined for answers;

"Mr. Petrovich, I have a few questions."

Ivan smiles, almost too forced to be considered real:

"You're going to ask me whether I agree to an interrogation or not."

"I'm not asking you to dissect nuclear equations."

His eyes lift up towards the ceiling, unable to look at him in the eye for more then a minute;

"What do you want Banner."

He shrugs, tone changing when Ivan becomes more stern;

"I want to know what you're thinking, how and why he's here. How you expect me to handle it, what you want from Natasha-"

"Are you angry?"

"Not at Natasha."

"At Alexei..."

He sighs, "How can I be mad at someone I don't know-"

"You and I both know how this is going to end; Natalia is going back with Alexei and away from you, where she belongs."

"If that's what she wants...I mean, I think that's what she wants. She loves him."

"More then she does you."

Bruce shakes his head with a smirk, as if Ivan thought he could push him over the edge;

"I don't blame her. She'll be better off."

Ivan nods, "Safe from SHIELD agents, manipulators, and radioactive monsters."

He rolls his tongue over the roof of his mouth, working hard to ignore Petrovich. His finger rubs over the wallpaper, practically scoffing at the Russian. He'd been called so much worse, Ivan couldn't _possibly_ think one or two digs would push his limits. He cautiously opens his mouth;

"How long have you known he was around?"

"Since before your wedding."

"And you never said anything."

He narrows his focus, "I told you to stay away from her, you didn't listen to me."

"Well, 'stay away' is a lot less convincing then 'her husband is still alive'. I would've listened if you told me the latter-"

"You would've done it anyway. All you think about is yourself, you never came out and asked me what I thought-"

His eyes widen, remaining calm, "Yes, I did! I asked for your permission and you gave it to me, you said nothing-"

"You said and I quote, you weren't looking for permission, you were stating your intentions."

"After you brushed me off and gave me all these rules and regulations-"

"You think that's normal for a father? To ask his daughters boyfriend not to touch her? Not even let him hold her hand?"

Bruce grinds his teeth, "I don't know! I have no idea! But you knew what you were doing! Why didn't you just tell us?! You drove us both insane trying to figure out how to appease you and move on with our own lives-"

"You never gave me a chance to explain it because your too busy snapping at me, thinking you knew better-"

"Don't even go there Mr. Petrovich; I shut up and let you talk trash about me to Natasha, I put up with it! If I snapped at you once that was a lot for me-!"

"-And then you run ahead and marry my daughter anyway. Practically behind my back."

Banner shakes his head, eyes wide and frustrated, "We told you everything!"

"I never wanted you to marry her, even if Alexei wasn't around I think you're an poor match for Natalia."

"And you've made that perfectly clear."

Ivan lifts his index finger, teeth grinding over one another;

"You watch you tone when you're talking with me."

He scoffs sarcastically, "There's no point in lecturing me, you said I don't listen anyway."

Ivan takes a step forward, close to enough to look down at the physicist;

"You've got some mouth!"

"I can get a lot worse if you give me a chance!"

"You listen to me; Alexei and Natalia are going home to Russia with _me_, where they belong. And you're never to see my daughter again. I'll make sure of it. Is that clear enough for you?!"

Bruce lowers his eyebrows, "Where they decide to live is their choice not yours. I garuntee Natasha will want to stay in America whether you like it or not. And if Shostakov cares about her, he'll respect her opinion. I don't know where you think _you_ fit into that mix or where you get the nerve to dictate what happens to them-"

"She is my daughter!"

"She's a grown woman!"

"I want you out of her life, you're too dangerous-"

"I can't do that Ivan I'm not going to just disappear, I love her-"

"You fell in love with a married woman!"

He widens his eyes, taking a small step towards Ivan;

"And you want to know something?! Of all the sins I've committed all the things I've done, I don't regret one single day I've spent with Natasha! And no matter how much it hurts to let her go, I'm going to support her and Alexei. But if you think I'm going to just abandon her, as a friend, walk away after everything we've been through, you've got another thing coming-"

Petrovich clenches his teeth when his fist finds it's way into Banner's cheek. The doctor freezes, taking a deep breath in an attempt not to retaliate. His breathing changes, tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth when he works hard to just let it go. Bruce tries to convince himself that he'd been through worse, no matter how badly he wanted to throw the Russian into the wall.

Ivan shakes his head. He takes a step back, looking him over from a distance;

"You're not green."

The physicist shuts his eyes, feeling it right underneath his skin. Even so, he's dying to prove he can control it. Not only for Ivan but for the sake of his own sanity;

"Is that what you wanted?"

There's a pounding in the back of his skull, working harder then usual not to explode. He figured Natasha wouldn't need anymore trouble.

Petrovich lowers his focus almost as if he feels guilty for hitting the younger man. His mouth drops open before changing his mind, growling just loud enough for Bruce to hear him when he turns to leave.

Bruce grinds his teeth, breathing quickening now that Ivan is gone. He gives a quick look around before lifting his own fist, ready to punch a hole in the wall when his eyes dilate with a slight hue of green. The instant his skin hits the sheet rock he regrets it, eyes closing when he throws his head back against the him in the small dead end.

He takes a deep breath, seeing her pretty hazel stare and delicate smile every time he closes his eyes. His expression stays vacant as if he's almost gone completely numb;

_Too dangerous for her...Ivan was right._

_. . . . . . . . . . . _

Alexei smirks just to see Natasha make her way towards him. He saw the look on her face, attempting to sound compassionate and understanding when he takes her in his arms;

"Come here baby. You alright?"

She keeps her arms crosses, hardly appreciating her nickname;

"No, I am not. We need to talk Al."

He nods, listening to her when he lets her go, still holding her hands when he sits on the couch in the lobby;

"Okay, let's talk."

She nods, "You were dead."

Shostakov huffs out a laugh, "Alright, we'll start there."

"Did your plane crash or didn't it?"

He nods, "It did."

"Were you onboard or weren't you?"

"I was onboard."

"In Russia?"

"Tash, the rocket backfired. We we crashed, I was unconscious. I was taken in by a local group-"

She stays stern, "What group."

"Details don't matter sweety, we all do things we regret. At any event, I wasn't allowed to contact you until I broke free. I found Ivan as soon as I could get away, probably around the same time you started with your team. Some battle in New York."

Romanoff shakes her head, breathing heavy with she throws her hands against her temples;

"Al, if you've been around for that long why didn't you come back to me sooner..."

He sighs, eyes fixed on her slender fingers;

"I was worried you wouldn't accept me. I've done some pretty awful things Tash."

"So have I! You know that..."

"I know but...Your father talked some sense into me. He's such a good guy...But, the truth is I love you and I never want anything to come between us ever again. You're too beautiful for me to lose Natasha. I just want to be able to get things back to the way they were. You and me."

She huffs out a laugh, turning her face away from him when she feels a lump in her throat. She tugs her sweatshirt over the tips of her fingers, knowing he hasn't seen any physical evidence of her marriage to Bruce Banner;

"Al..."

He smirks, "What sweety. Don't get all shy on me."

"You've- Just. Been gone for so long. I. I don't know- How to tell you-"

Alexei smiles, hardly even listening to her anymore. He wraps an arm around her waist, pulling her a little closer;

"Tell me what."

Natasha glances upwards, slightly startled with him so close. His strong arm stirs up her memories, almost lost in his vibrant eyes. She shakes her head 'no', waiting for him to press his mouth up against hers when she whispers cautiously;

"That I missed you...?"

She feels her stomach twisting when she looks at him. Bruce was right, she'd break his heart if she told him she remarried. He chuckles before giving her a kiss;

"Now, the Romanov I know isn't usually this intimidated and shy. Come here Tash."

"Um...Al?"

He hugs her into his torso, practically lifting her into his lap when he holds her head close to his;

"Hmm?"

The red-head lays a hand on his chest, heart pounding when she feels his strong build. His bold features almost leave her withdrawn;

"Nevermind."

Natasha releases a heavy sigh when she gives into his bold affection. He wasn't aggressive or disrespectful, but hardly as tender as Bruce_._ There was a big part of her that had forgotten just how much she missed him. She really did care for him and his softer side. And even if her heart hurt just thinking about leaving her _Vrach_, she knew she still had strong feelings for Alexei.

_. . . . . . . . . . . . _

"What the hell is going on?!"

Bruce cringes, ready to spit his tea across the small cafe inside the hotel the instant he hears Tony's voice. Stark takes a seat beside him eyes wide;

"Clint says 'Papa's' pulling shit."

Banner scoffs, hand over his forehead, "And what else did Clint say?"

Tony steals his mug, taking a quick sip from the side of it. He gags the instant it hits his tongue, cringing when he swallows;

"What are you drinking? He told me to find you and talk to you before you do something stupid.

Bruce shows him the label on his chamomile tea bag;

"Too late, I just mouthed off to Ivan."

"I meant something stupid with Little Red. Don't let her go buddy. She's the best thing that you've ever had-"

He shakes his head, eyes wide, "I don't have a choice! She's married to Alexei Tony-"

"She's in love with you! She's over that guy-"

"Natasha never got over him. Even if she did, it doesn't matter. That's where she belongs-"

Tony growls, releasing an exasperated sigh;

"You're out of your mind! Don't-"

"I already talked to her Tony, it's done."

"Because 'daddy' decides to show up with an abnormally large freak-"

"He's a good guy Tony. Natasha wouldn't put up with anyone who gave her trouble."

"I wish you'd think about this."

He shrugs, head low, "I don't have to. I care about Natasha, but. I know if Alexei knew about us, it'd break his heart."

Tony holds his face, trying to be as supportive as possible, no matter how badly he's dying to slap him upside the head;

"Can I say something? Only because I love you like a brother?"

"Go ahead."

"You're an idiot. So busy trying to appease everybody else and when is it your turn?!"

"This isn't about me Tony! This is about Natasha and what makes her happy."

Stark shakes his head, "And leaving you is going to make her happy...I find that hard to believe."

Bruce sighs, hand over his forehead;

"Maybe not. But. She wants to be with him and I'm not going to get in the way."

Tony releases a heavy sigh, breathing heavy to state his discontent. He rolls his eyes before forcing Bruce to look at him. He shakes his head;

"First the eye, now the cheek...she didn't hit you."

"No. She wouldn't. I mean she has, once, but...No. This was my fault."

"You're a mess. And you don't think you need Natasha in your life anymore? She's your anchor buddy. You need her more than goliath-"

Banner tugs from him, standing up when he mumbles matter-of-factly;

"It's done, it's over. I made up my mind."

"But why?!"

"It's easing a guilty conscience! Come on Tony, you always said you had my back-"

Stark stands up beside him, "You've both worked too hard to just throw it all away!

"I should have never been with her in the first place-"

"You didn't know! Where's Ivan!? This is his fault isn't?!"

He jumps, restraining the engineer when he takes a step forward;

"Stop! Just stop!"

The two-some flinch when Shostakov lays a hand on Banner's shoulder. Stark lowers his eyebrows, ready to snap before Bruce throws his hand over Tony's mouth;

"Is, everything alright? He's not giving you a hard time."

Stark glares between the two of them;

"No, _I'm_ not the one giving him any trouble."

Bruce shoves his hands into his pockets, eyes fixed on Tony;

"Of course not, he's my friend. _Supportive, kind, and respectful_."

The Russian nods with a smirk;

"Oh. Hi, I'm Alexei Shostakov. Natasha's husband."

Stark nods sarcastically, "Oh really...?"

Bruce gives him a look. Alexei shifts uncomfortably away from Banner's view, wanting so badly to be accepted by her friends no matter how cold Tony's stare was;

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt anything I just saw a little trouble and I wanted to make sure everything was alright."

The doctor nods, unable to look either one of them in the eye;

"Everything's fine, Tony just gets...overly passionate about certain topics."

The engineer scoffs with an eye roll, secretly happy when Natasha walks towards the group. She crosses her arms, standing beside Alexei when she looks at the physicist. They share a glance Bruce breaks first, head low when things get silently tense between the four of them. Romanoff shifts awkwardly, glancing over her shoulder when she feels a lump in her throat. Her eyes close, mind somewhere in the middle of Morning Side with her _Vrach_.

She can feel Banner tense from a few feet away when Shostakov wraps an arm around her waist. She leans into his strong embrace when he kisses her cheek, trying to remember a little further back.

Stark coughs sarcastically;

"Well, the team is on the first flight to New York tomorrow morning."

He nods with a smile, "Oh yeah, Ivan told me. We're going to be joining you guys."

Natasha whispers, praying he'll say 'no' and give her more time to sort out her emotions;

"You're coming to the tower for a bit?"

"If that's okay, I don't want to intrude. Would you mind if I stayed one or two days?"

Tony drops his mouth open, wishing he never looked towards his 'science bro' when he sees his head low and his eyes closed. To Stark, his body language was a cry for help, screaming confusion and frustration over his own conflicting opinions. He was looking for support, wanting to hear he was making the right choice even if it was the dumbest idea his boss had ever heard him share. Tony knew it was only a matter of time before Bruce lost the most important person in his current life, the only one who he'd ever trusted completely. And the mild-mannered physician certainly didn't deserve any more trouble. The inventor takes a deep breath, complying only for the sake of his friend;

"No. I don't mind.".

Alexei smiles gratefully, bold laugh lines and dimples framing his expression;

"Thank you so much Mr. Stark. I sincerely appreciate your kindness."

Natasha bites her lower lip before taking a deep breath feeling her muscular lover urge her to follow him;

"You want to come with me 'Tasha honey? Help me get some of my stuff together."

She nods silently, not sure if she can handle standing with Bruce and Tony for more than a minute without breaking down and crying.

Stark stands in front of his friend, mumbling through his teeth;

"You better think about this. You've got a few more days to talk it over with her and I suggest that's what you do. Alexei clearly has no idea you two are married-"

"And he's not going to."

"Bruce, for the love of everything that's alive, please just give it another day before you throw in the towel. I'm begging you. Did you hear me?"

He sighs, expression vague with his eyes in a haze;

"I heard you."

Tony tilts his head almost sympathetically;

"I wouldn't steer you wrong. Don't you trust me?"

"I trust you."

"Then listen to me. Forget Alexei, you'd be heart-broken without her and you know it! And I have no idea what the hulk would do without his 'spider'."

* * *

**_Please R&R. :)_**


	8. A Little Too Ironic

_**A/N: Things are going to pick up shortly.**_

**_MissAnime11: haha. Hello secret reader. :) Thank you so much for taking the time to review. I'm so happy you liked Moon River and decided to read Miracles Happen. Thank you so much for all your comments and kind remarks. Hope you like the update! :D _**

**_RFK22: Aw. You could hug them. You've got that sweet personality they'd probably both be drawn to befriend. lol Hulk is definitely going to flip. In the next chapter...It's not going to be pretty. _**

**_Irishbrneyes: Thank you. Yes Ivan is so the 'daddy from hell.' (haha I love that.) Happy to help you with Alexi. By the way, I've been spelling his name incorrectly from day 1. Yours is correct but...should I change it? I sort of feel funny changing it now. lol. You let me know. Hope you enjoy the update. :)_**

**_Nova Fearnewood: Yikes...Don't be mad at the computer. haha. AH! PSH PSH PSH *waves frantically* You must wait for an update before you make such assumptions! lol. Things will get better...once we throw Ivan out the window. _**

* * *

"Why is he here?! I thought we lost him at the airport."

Barton glances over his shoulder when Maria makes her comment, practically jumping when he enters the tower;

"Just looking at that big bully makes me uncomfortable."

Hill scoffs, referring to Ivan and Alexei, "Ha! Which one?"

Darcy chimes in after inviting herself in the door Clint holds for his fellow agent;

"I get the jitters when he looks at me. He's kind of creepy."

Steve lifts his eyebrows, filing in behind her;

"Be nice Miss Darcy. He'd probably say the same thing about you."

Thor takes his quiet stand in the corner as the group gathers subconsciously, forming a huddled circle in the living room when Jane starts to talk in a whisper;

"Did you guys see Natasha during the whole plane ride?"

Clint rolls his eyes, "No, but I heard her."

Steve shrugs, "Everyone did, she was laughing loud enough."

"But she was sitting in between Ivan and 'goliath', not Banner."

He nods, "Dr. Banner was with Stark."

Pepper noisily makes her way into the conversation, baby in her arms;

"What happened? What'd Tony do now? I heard _'Stark_'."

Barton crosses his arms thoughtfully;

"You know we're actually not complaining about your husband this time."

She rolls her eyes, "Well, that's a relief."

Steve gently points as the Russians enter;

"It's him. The tall one."

Thor nods, "The man who would appear to have been from Asgard."

Darcy rolls her tongue over her upper lip, eyes fixed on his muscular build;

"Do they all look like that?"

Maria reaches over to hit her gently;

"Stop it! We don't like him! He's coming all up in here to screw up Bruce and Natasha and you're standing there drooling over his body!"

Her eyes widen, "Have you _seen_ 'his body'!? He's not my definition of 'cute', but now that's a man!"

Steve holds his head, almost embarrassed for her, "Oh Lord."

Jane chuckles, "I'll be honest, he's kind of hot. I can't blame Romanoff for liking him."

Pepper closes her eyes, almost aggravated;

"You're all standing her trying to get a piece if some no good twit you know nothing about while poor, sweet, mild-mannered, Dr. Banner suffers another breakdown, wondering if his second wife is going to leave him! Some friends you are."

Darcy lowers her head, feeling completely guilty. Pepper grits her teeth;

"And '_a man'_ doesn't disappear for years and then expect his long-lost wife to abandon her current life, friends, and loved ones and take him back."

Maria gives a nod, "Well said. I hope Bruce doesn't make any rash decisions about all this."

Thor narrows his eyebrows questioningly, "Our physician would not leave Lady Romanoff."

The agent shrugs, collapsing in the chair behind her;

"He probably thinks she'd rather be with Alexei anyway."

"But they have been married. Alexei's bond to Lady Romanoff should no longer be legitimate. At least, in Asgard it would not be."

Jane freezes, "Wait. Natasha can't be married to the both of them, one of those documents isn't valid...probably her first one right? Otherwise Dr. Banner couldn't have legally married her."

Maria throws her head back, "I know what you're all thinking, which would make this far less complicated, but Ivan Petrovich is a little trickster. Lord only knows what he's been up to. I have Fury trying to get me accurate information and I have a feeling this won't be pretty. Nobody is to say a word to Bruce about anything unless we all meet and we all think he can handle it, agreed?"

Steve nods, "Agreed."

Barton sighs, "Did Tony talk to him? About not being so quick to let Nat go?"

Pepper shrugs, "He's trying but you know Bruce. He's pretty tight-lipped when he gets upset."

"Did Stark even try? He was sitting next to him on the ride back."

"To tell you the truth Bruce spent most of the flight quietly entertaining Antonia."

Jane sighs, "He's dodging people."

Clint rolls his eyes, stomach twisting;

"Of course he is! The guy's just as quiet and secretive as Nat it's not even funny. They hold everything inside until they either break or blow up."

Pepper sighs, looking up at him with wide eyes;

"Don't let him withdraw Clint, please."

"I won't. Now what the hell are we going to do about Nat? Someone's got to talk to her."

Thor shakes his head, slightly afraid of upsetting the red-head;

"I do not think I should be the one to take on such an assignment."

Maria rolls her eyes;

"Clint. Thanks for volunteering."

"What!?"

"You're like her brother, so go talk some sense into your little sister."

Barton collapses in the chair beside her;

"Fine! I was going to do it anyway."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Natasha glances over her shoulder, not expecting Aexei to follow her. He smiles, eyes roving around the tower;

"This place is huge. Is this where you've been living?"

She shrugs, on her knees to pet her dog;

"Yes."

The Russian gets on his own knees to look at the shepherd, gentle hand over his head to scratch his ear;

"Hey buddy. Whose this Natasha?"

She sighs, brushing a stray hair behind her ear;

"Um...Bruce got him for me. His name is _Alex_."

He looks up at her, eyes soft when she lowers her head. His fingers squeeze her shoulder, eyebrow lifted curiously when he huffs out a laugh;

"Bruce. Dr. Banner got you a puppy...? That's nice of him."

She closes her eyes, "He's done a lot of nice thing for me."

"Any reason his name is what it is?"

Natasha shrugs, "Well, I told Bruce about you and-...he felt bad. I told him about our Anatolian Shepherd so...he wanted to give me something that would, remind me of you and our time together. Because he knows what you mean to me."

"You told him about me? You got close enough for that?"

"He's my friend Al. I trust him."

He freezes, slightly taken back by her body language;

"But, you're not..._into_ him or anything like that."

She shakes her head 'no', heart aching when she tries to justify it in her mind;

"I mean, I care about him. I know he's been through a lot, and, I always want to be there for him. You can understand that can't you?"

He nods, "Of course. Like your friend, um, _Cliff_ right?"

"_Clint_. But, Clint is like a brother to me Al, it's-not-...Bruce is different."

He swallows hard, smiling nervously;

"You don't have, _feelings_ for him."

Natasha huffs out a nervous laugh, "Al, you've, been gone for so long I-...It just-"

"Because I waited for you Tash. There were others along the way but none of them measured up to you. I could've got married and had a family but deep down inside I knew I wanted to be with you. And you feel the same way, I know you do."

She keeps her head low, "Of course Al. Just, promise me forever. Swear you won't abandon me."

He scoops her into his arms, ignoring the dog as he curiously circles around the Russian;

"I swear. Tell me something about us Tash."

Romanoff fixes her eyes on his, melting into his strong embrace;

"Like what..."

"Where we're going to live, our happily ever after."

She licks her lower lip, hands pressed into his chest to stop him from kissing her;

"New York!"

He lowers his eyebrows, looking for clarification. She stammers, swallowing hard;

"I want to stay in New York. Please."

He smirks with a nod, leaning forward to try and press her mouth against his. Natasha restrains against him a second time;

"Wait! Um... And I want to stay on my team."

He nods, "Tash, as long as you're mine. Swear you love me and you'll never leave me baby."

She nods, uncomfortable when he holds her body close to his larger frame;

"Yes...I swear."

"You better promise me."

"I promise."

Natasha jumps when he kisses her, forcing himself to be more slow and gentle with her then she was used to receiving from him. Her eyes flick open halfway through, heart jumping into her throat when she sees Bruce over Alexei's shoulder.

The physicist jumps when they make eye contact, quick to retreat back into the room he entered from.

Natasha tries to pull from Alexei, startled when he doesn't let her go;

"What's wrong Tash."

She stays soft and compassionate, "Nothing. Nothing's wrong."

He smirks, "So we'll stay in New York. This way you can be close to your team."

Romanoff nods almost half-heartedly, "Yes."

"And we can still go on assignments together. I missed working with you."

She huffs out a laugh, "You too."

"So I'll see what's in the area. I'll find us a cassy apartment. Something elegant and spacious...You deserve something nice."

"Well it doesn't have to be expensive-"

"My dear, you forget I have a few dollars. We still have a mansion in California you know. I never sold it."

"-Oh. But I-"

He looks her over, holding her hand when he takes a step back;

"You look about the same size. I'm just thinking, you'd look good all done up. Why don't I take you out to dinner? Just the two of us? I'd like that, and I'm sure you would too."

"Al, I never liked getting all done up-"

"I haven't seen you in years Tash and all I'm asking for is one night. You can do that for me."

She sighs, having a million other things on her mind, "Maybe tomorrow would be better-"

"There's nothing wrong with today baby. Go get ready I'll wait for you."

"Al I really don't-"

"Hurry up Tash. I'll wait for you. Go."

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Natasha feels her heart drop when she enters her apartment, finding Bruce on his knees while he goes through his drawers. She sighs, standing on her side of the bed;

"Bruce?"

He barely acknowledges her, gritting his teeth pretty badly from the way his mouth reacts to his tense muscles. He answers her late, tongue over his cheek;

"_Hmm_?"

She shakes her head, climbing over the bed to get closer to him;

"_Vrach_?"

He doesn't answer, glancing at a picture in his hand before leaving on the bed beside her. She closes her eyes to hide a little tension;

"Alexei's going to let me stay on the team. And in New York."

The physicist gives her a quick glance, before going back to his organizing. He shrugs after a moment of contemplation;

"You had to ask for his permission?"

She shrugs her own shoulders;

"If he's my husband, I only thought it was fair."

He glances at her quickly;

"I'm sorry that was inappropriate."

She shakes her head, "It's okay."

He releases a quick sigh, louder then he intended. His head stays low when he uncovers his notes on concussions and head trauma, slipping that on the bed beside her;

"Here. Just in case you fall down subway stairs again."

Natasha huffs out a laugh, looking over his papers;

"It wasn't the science of it that helped me Bruce, it was your letter."

He freezes, stacking two of his books into his arms before standing up;

"Which one. I wrote you plenty."

She follows him when he leaves the room, watching him toss what little belongs to him on a corner of the couch. Natasha closes her eyes, able to recount every word on that note;

"The one you wrote before you gave me my dancing room. After I wrote you 100 reasons not to give up...What do it you do with that?"

He scoffs, holding up her page, "I kept it."

She smirks, taking it from him to look over for herself;

"You're 100 commandments _Vrach_. And we added a few."

He heads back for the room, voice low when he carefully stacks his pictures. His eyes are fixed on Rogers' sketch of Betty Ross when he opens his mouth, facial expression never changing;

"So, I think it would be best if I just took care of all the annulment papers and whatever. This way Alexei doesn't have to know about us."

Natasha bites her cheek, closing her eyes when she feels a lump in her throat;

"You are going to stay in the tower right?"

He nods, "For now, but. I can't stay up here in particular."

"Why not? It's perfect for you. Comfortable."

He shakes his head, smirk on his face when his eyes close. There were too many memories in this little living space he couldn't handle on a daily basis without her around;

"Well...when you're alone, you don't need all that much."

She swallows, eyes still closed when she inhales and exhales deep breath;

"Bruce I really, don't like this."

"We all do things we don't like."

She rolls her eyes, trying to change the topic;

"Sort of like, having Alexei offer to take me out and suggested I get prettied up."

He smirks, knowing how she feels about that topic, the same way he does;

"You haven't seen him in years Natasha, he wants to give you something special."

"I'd be just as happy curling up on the couch with a good book."

Bruce shakes his head, "I know you would."

He stops his work, lock over his eyebrow when she watches her twirl and tug at her silver band. Bruce flicks his eyes back up towards hers;

"You and Alexei wore gold right? Not silver?"

She pauses, newly aware of her nervous tugging, "Well, yes."

He nods, digging through his duffel for the small box that belongs with her engagement ring;

"You better hide them someplace before he figures it out."

"So what Bruce? I don't care."

He shakes his head, "You have to care. I've been there Natasha, and it hurts. You'd break his heart."

Natasha stays somewhat bitter, "So?!"

Bruce softens his focus, eyes fixed on hers, "You don't mean that Miss Romanoff. You love him."

"But I love you too."

"But, you love him more."

"Bruce I-. I dont know."

"Natasha, please. Don't lie to me."

"I wouldn't lie to you. I love Al, but that doesn't change how I feel about you!"

"You belong with Alexei, don't argue with me because I won't listen. We've been through this Miss Romanoff."

Natasha bites her cheek, "I just wanted, you to be happy."

"As long as you're happy, I'm happy. And being with Alexei makes you feel that way. Am I right?"

"I don't know."

"Natasha, you've got to tell me the truth."

She lowers her head, "Of course I'm happy with him, but...I didn't want to hurt you."

"You never hurt me. It would bother me more if you didn't go because I would feel guilty. Do you love him?"

She tilts her head back and forth, afraid to admit it. "I care about you-"

He sighs, eyes closed when he repeats himself tenderly;

"Do you love him?"

Her eyes flick up to meet his, "Yes."

"Then listen to me Natasha. You'd hurt him if he knew you abandoned him. It's been years and he waited for you. He loves you Miss Romanoff."

She releases a heavy sigh, sniffling to avoid the tears she knows she's bound to cry. Natasha lowers her head, knowing she's never taken off her wedding band completely since Bruce placed it on her finger. She swallows, practically whispering;

"Bruce? Can you take it off for me?"

He sighs, not sure why she's asking. He works up enough nerve, gently taking her hand up into his tender hold. His fingers carefully slide it up and off her finger, much slower then when he initially put it on. He offers an open palm once it's free. She shrugs after taking it, voice cracking with tears in her eyes;

"_Vrach_...?"

He turns towards her unable, to talk with a lump in his own throat. She sighs, lip quivering;

"You know I care about you."

He swallows, head bowed low, "I know. I care about you too Natasha. I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't."

"And-..._ugh_, it's not like I'm falling off the planet."

He huffs out a quiet laugh over her quoting him, turning around to toss a few of his shirts into a neat pile. She searches through the small stack of printed pictures of the two of them, putting aside two of the five;

"Bruce? Can I keep these?"

He nods, practically whispering;

"Of course. You can go through it all later I just can't stay up here anymore."

Natasha runs her fingers under her eyelid,

"So, you'll move back to your old room?"

"For now."

"And, when I came over, to talk with Clint, that's where I'll find you?"

Banner tugs nervously at his fingers,"I guess. There or the lab."

She closes her eyes smirking over a memory;

"And, if I invade your bed for a moment, interrupt your reading in my baggy pajamas, would you make me feel like I'm important?"

"Alexei will take care of you Natasha, what are you worried about?"

"I know, but I can't harass Al in a lab, or tug on his hair the way I play with yours. I guarantee he won't let me steal his pillow, or, make me laugh the way you did."

He sighs, watching a few tears slip down her cheek. He didn't have the heart to bring up her laughing on the plane, too heart-broken over watching her cry. Bruce tilts his head, he can't help it. He leans forward just enough to plant a soft, gentle kiss on her forehead before leaving abruptly.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Maria makes a face, hands thrown on her hip and forehead after tossing papers on Barton's lap. She paces;

"Read Clint."

The archer leans forward, skimming over the words. His eyes widen when he mumbles;

"You have _got_ to be kidding me."

She sighs, "Does it look like I'm kidding Clint!? Ivan saved it as a legal document which makes Bruce and Natasha's marriage licence completely invalid."

Clint looks up at her, mouth open when he looks over the documents. Tony stops in his tracks when he passes the couple, eyes wide when he invites himself into the conversation;

"What's going on?"

Barton lifts a page, "Look at this! Ivan been at this since day one!"

Maria snatches another page from his stack, "No one claimed Alexei legally dead either. I blame Fury for this."

Clint shakes his head, "Ivan took charge, I blame him. What about the record?"

"It's just a record. Just because we all heard the same story, doesn't make it right."

"He was never 'legally dead'?"

"Of course not. We misinterpretted the acident and Ivan exploited it."

Stark looks at the paper, head high when he snatches a few from Clint's grip. Maria takes a step back when the engineer storms forward;

"Where are you going?"

Tony glances over his shoulder;

"I want to show Bruce, prove Ivan's pulling shit, maybe he'll put his foot down."

. . . . . . . . . . . .

"Natasha?"

She jumps, eyes wide when she sees Alexei in her door frame;

"Al! Sorry, you startled me."

He smiles, walking into her room whether he's invited or not. Romanoff breathes a sigh of relief, glad she's found her way back into the original room Tony offered to her when she first got to the tower. She sighs, attempting to look busy when she digs through her closet. He smirks, looking through some of the pictures on her night-table;

"Oh my God Natasha, I forgot how long your hair used to be."

She nods, sighing before she decides to sit next to him;

"Al?"

He smirks, wrapping his arm around her waist;

"What baby."

She shrugs, hazel eyes wide and pleading, "Can we stay in for the day? Please?"

The Russian rolls his eyes, pulling her closer after abandoning the images;

"My little sweety_..._I guess so. If you let me hold you all night. I don't want to let you go."

She huffs out a laugh, aware that his strong arm kept finding it's way to her body;

"I've noticed."

He smirks, sitting back over her mattress after kissing her cheek;

"Do you remember how you used to hum 'Moon River' all over the house?"

She nods, crossing her knees. She leans on the heel of her hand, looking down at him while she stays upright. All she could think of was that peaceful instrumental version playing in the background while she walked down the aisle to meet her _Vrach_;

"I remember."

He smiles, petting her back;

"I missed your pretty voice."

Natasha lowers her head, eyes closed when she whispers;

"Answer me one question Al; Do you love me?"

He smirks, dropping his hand when he realizes she has no intention of laying beside him;

"You know that."

She shakes her head, needing to hear it from his mouth;

"Do you love me?"

He sits up slowly, looking down at her vague expression. His hand finds her cheek. She understands he doesn't know his own strength, trying so hard to be gentle with her;

"Of course I love you."

She swallows hard, feeling his mouth press up against hers. She jumps when he scoops her underneath him, pressing her hands into his chest when she whispers;

"Easy Al..."

He hovers over her, arms framing her pretty face;

"What sweety?"

She shakes her head when she bites her lip, trying to run a hand through his short hair..._it wasn't the same;_

"Nevermind. Forget it."

He smirks inhaling her sweet perfume when he whispers in her ear;

"I missed you so much."

Natasha holds the back of his head, waiting for him to kiss her neck. She's startled when he goes directly for her collarbone, hands on her hips when he slowly works his way down. She closes her eyes, trying to stop herself from bossing him around too much;

"Slow down Al. Easy...gently, gentle honey."

He smirks, eyes flicking up towards hers with his chin laid on her belly;

"I'm sorry Natasha I can't help it. I want you so bad baby, but I guess now isn't a good time huh?"

She shakes her head 'no'. Regretting it the instant she opens her mouth. She had forgotten the difference between him and Bruce, used to Banner's tender, slow and laid-back demeanor as opposed to Alexei's confident and dominating tendencies;

"No. Not now Al. Maybe later."

Natasha is secretly grateful when he father knocks on the door, inviting himself in with a smile on his face. She stammers from Alexei, sitting up with her knees pulled into her chest.

He smiles shamelessly, "Hi Ivan."

Petrovich shakes his head as if it doesn't even phase him, leaving a few papers on the desk;

"I found a few homes. Take a look, tell me what you like."

Alex stands up to meet him, "All in New York right?"

He shrugs, "Some. Most of these are in Russia. Just take a look."

"Well, we'll see. I think Natasha wants to stay in America."

Natasha drops her knees to one side, eyes big when she chimes in;

"I would like to stay in New York."

Ivan addresses Shostakov, practically ignoring the red-head;

"Just think about it. There are some nice homes in Russia."

She sighs, focused on the younger man to make sure he heard her;

"Al? I can't be too far away from my team."

He shakes his head, trying to appease the both of them;

"Tash and I will look at all of them and make a decision after that."

Romanoff bites her cheek, eyes low once Ivan leaves;

"I, don't want to be too far away from my friends Al. You can understand that, can't you?"

He smirks, running a hand down her cheek;

"You're very beautiful Tash."

She sighs when she doesn't get an answer, knowing she won't get too far with the man when he starts to ramble about some house in his stack of options.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Brucey? You have a minute?"

Banner hardly acknowledges the engineer, glasses on when he swipes the screen in front of him. His eyes stay fixed on the equations, looking busier then he actually is;

"Yes."

Tony huffs out a laugh before handing him a few pages;

"Good, you're wearing your glasses. So you can read this clearly."

"Where's your family Tony? Go spend time with your wife and daughter."

"You're a part of my family too. Read please."

Bruce frowns, breathing out a heavy sigh when he looks it over. His face changes ever so slightly, lifting a page underneath before he mumbles;

"So?"

Stark leans his hands on the table, eyes wide;

"_So_?! Ivan invades your personal relationship with Natasha, puts you through hell, and then has the nerve to provide a document that makes your marriage to her completely void, and all you have to say is _'so_'?"

He makes a face, tossing the pages back on the table before walking off in the other direction;

"Saves me time and paperwork,' he closes his eyes, inhaling a shuddering breath when he grits his teeth, 'At least I don't have to go through another, completely stupid, long, drawn out, and complicated, God damn divorce!"

Tony jumps when he hears his friend growl, and kick the table. It's lighter then Tony's ever done, but completely out of character for the physicist. He's too scared to ask any questions, figuring it's best to shut up and deal with current issues. Bruce keeps his head low when he walks out the door, trying to control his anger from flaring up. Stark rolls his eyes, chasing until he catches up with him in the hallway;

"That's the point Bruce! Ivan is manipulating everything so that he'll get his way and you're not going to stop him?! What about Natasha-"

"What about her Tony?!"

He swallows hard, "Don't look at me like that! You love her! You'd go insane if she left! You're already losing your mind and she's right downstairs."

"I'm fine."

He scoffs, "I have _never_ heard you talk like that. You've never said a four-letter word in your entire life Pal! And kicking the desk?! I do it daily, _but you?! _Bruce, if you're that upset-"

"I'll get over it."

"You will not! Do you even hear yourself?! I can't believe after all this you're ready to walk away."

"It's done Tony! It's over. She belongs with Alexei, she wants to be with him, she's a lot safer, and maybe Ivan will stop giving her so much trouble."

Stark grabs at his shoulders, "Don't let him win buddy, you hear me? He's out of his fricken mind. You don't know what Shostakov has planned for Natasha!"

Bruce tugs from him, wanting so badly to be left alone;

"He's not going to hurt her. He loves her."

"You don't know that!"

"Yes I do! No one's going to hurt her Tony. I wouldn't let her go if I wasnt sure she'd be taken care of. Alex is fine."

Tony goes to grab him again;

"Buddy, I'm trying to help you but you're not listening..."

Banner snaps, eyes closed when he pulls just out of Stark's grip, trembling over contact he doesn't want;

"I am listening...you're not making this any easier for me."

"Because you're talking crazy buddy..."

"Stop touching me!"

The engineer freezes, newly aware of his discontent with anything physical;

"Sorry. You alright?"

"No!,' he holds his head, wanting to hide in his room and cry as he slides against the wall to the floor. 'Oh God Tony, I'm sorry."

He sighs, clasping his fingers to resist the urge, no matter how badly he wants to hug his friend;

"It's cool bro. You're allowed to have a bad day, I get it. Just breathe. And don't take the house down."

"I didn't mean to- lose my temper-"

"It's alright, it's fine. But you can't be making big decisions if you're not thinking clearly. Letting go of Little Red is a big decision I know you'll regret later."

Banner shrugs his shoulders slowly, head thrown back into the wall behind him. He mumbles with his eyes closed;

"I know. But. It's what she wants. I'm not going to stop her."

Stark bites his lip, "You talked to her about it?"

He nods, "Yes."

"Why don't you go and just clarify-"

"We did clarify. She loves him, what more is there to talk about?! You showed me the papers, I don't have a choice."

Tony releases a heavy sigh, kneeling down to sit beside him. He shrugs his shoulders, eyes fixed on the scientist;

"So I guess Tasha,' he stops himself, watching Banner pull his knees closer to his chest just to hide his face in his forearms, 'Forget it."

Stark leans over, attempting to get him to look up;

"Well hey, you won't have to deal with Ivan anymore...Sorry. I'll shut up."

He sighs when he doesn't get an answer, throwing his own head back into the wall before closing his eyes. He had no intention of leaving Bruce on his own, willing to sit there and wait until his friend was back on his feet.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Nat, you busy?"

She jumps, too startled to pay attention to the sheet music in her hand;

"Hi Clint."

The archer shrugs, getting right to the point as he enters her dancing space;

"What are you doing? I mean with that, giant you never told me about."

She sighs, "I'm sorry Barton. I just, I thought it was irrelevant."

"It's alright."

"It's not. I should've told you."

He shrugs, leaning on the piano when he stands beside her. His eyes skim over the page she's focused on, exhaling a heavy sigh before he opens his mouth;

"So now what?"

Natasha shrugs her shoulders. Her voice lowers just above a whisper, chest hurting when she mumbles;

"I don't know Clint."

"You do realize your father was behind almost all of this."

"I know."

He lowers his eyebrows compassionately, "And you're still going to listen to him?"

She closes her eyes, laying the sheets on the piano before holding her head;

"I'm not _listening _to him-"

He huffs out a laugh almost coldly, "If you leave Bruce, then Ivan gets what he wants-"

"Ivan has nothing to do with me going back to Alexei! It's my choice not his."

"And that's what you want?"

Natasha stutters with her mouth open;

"I- I'm torn. I love Al, I've missed him so much but Bruce...he's different. I know I belong with Al- and _Vrach_ understands, but, leaving him, after all he's been through; After I promised Hulk I'd never break his heart...I never meant to hurt him Clint. I feel so sick."

"But, you'd still leave Bruce to be, with Al?"

She sighs, more exasperated now, "Yes Clint I have to-"

"Technically you can go where you please-"

"I want to be with him okay?! He's my husband, he's my friend, my childhood sweet-heart...I just never wanted to hurt Bruce in the process. But he knows what he means to me, and Banner told me he'd be supportive. He's not mad at me right?"

Barton scoffs, "You? No, of course not. If he's mad at anyone it's your father."

"I don't know why Ivan has to be so cruel and hard to deal with."

"You realize he-"

"You know what Clint, no offense, I really don't want to talk about it right now okay. I'm confused and angry about the whole thing. I'm happy with my decision so drop it, alright...?!"

Barton makes a face, tapping the instrument before standing upright. His eyes follow hers, knowing she's transfixed on the sketch over the piano. Steve could draw Bruce and Natasha very well, though he was certain she wasn't looking at it to admire the captain's artistic abilities.

The archer shrugs, mumbling loud enough for her to hear as he slowly makes his way to the door;

"You wouldn't be so confused, angry, and defensive if you were 'happy with your decision'."

She growls with an eye roll, turning the frame face-down before storming out of the room.

. . . . . . . . . . .

"Thanks for letting me stay Mrs. Stark, it's very kind of you."

She smiles politely, letting the Russian play with the baby in her arms;

"No problem. If you need anything just let us know."

He chuckles, watching Antonia tug at his hand;

"I appreciate it."

Pepper lowers her head when Natasha stands at the door. She takes a quick glance at her hands, huffing out a noise when she sees the fingers on her left hand completely bare. Romanoff gives her a questioningly look;

"Pepper?"

She smirks almost coldly;

"Sorry, I won't hold you up. Have a good night Alexei."

He waves at the baby in her arms when she starts to walk away, "You too Mrs. Stark."

Romanoff shuts her eyes, Only now realizing what Pepper got upset about. She jumps when she feels Shostakov wrap his arms around the red-head;

"Come here Sweety."

She moves uncomfortably, laying her hands over his. She cringes when she hears footsteps, stomach twisting when she hears Darcy Lewis whistling Moon River as she passes. Natasha turns her body once the girl is gone, trying to politely turn down his affection;

"Al, don't- Not in the hallway."

He smirks, holding the sides of her face in both his hands;

"Baby, I found us an apartment. It's not to far so you can be close to your team."

She smiles weakly, "Oh, that's great Al."

"It's beautiful, elegant and classy. Like you baby."

"Al I'm not-"

"You're perfect Sugar. I love you."

Darcy gives her a sickening look from few feet away, rustling needlessly in a drawer she's never even seen before. Alexei was way too mushy for her liking, hanging all over Natasha even after she politely asked him to stop. Lewis keeps humming, changing her tune just to annoy the red-head and prick her conscience;

"_I'd never leave you, so don't even ask, I want love that will last.."_

Natasha closes her eyes when she feels a lump in her throat, gritting her teeth when she wants nothing more then to punch Darcy right in her jaw if she didn't shut up soon.


	9. Not Over You

**_A/N: Warning for minor adult content in the very last section and references from Beauty and the Beast (the play/cartoon) If you've never heard 'Home' from the broadway play, I recommend it. That song and 'If I Can't Love Her'. Oh my God. TEARS. :( (part of the story is based on those songs. Just so you're aware.)_**

**_Nova Fearnewood: I like your new Avatar. :) Alexei's got issues. :P And you have him pegged. He's a 'sheep', so afraid of Ivan that he practically worships the ground he walks on. It will get better. :) This chapters rough though... :(_**

**_RFK22: Aww. Exactly. And sorry, I lied. Hulk is in the next chapter because of the mission. _**

**_MissAnime11: lol. Yes they were. Well, Miracles Happen. :) Thanks for reading and reviewing! _**

. . . . . . . . . . . .

"Alexei's starting to make me sick."

"That makes two of us Darcy. You're not alone here."

Jane stacks up her cards, shuffling the deck. Thor shakes his head, tugging uncomfortably at top he borrowed from Steve;

"I do not understand why he is here. Why he demands such attention from Lady Romanoff."

Darcy rolls her eyes;

"I don't think Natasha's happy, because with Bruce she had no problem giving him a little attention. She never told him 'no', or 'stop'."

The demigod contorts his mouth, "They worked hard to become such close companions. I do not understand what could've come over Lady Romanoff to leave him. Physician Banner has always been gentle and compassionate towards her."

Jane shrugs, "Well, no one's left anyone yet. Natasha can still tell her daddy and football player to get lost."

She tosses a few cards onto the table, watching Darcy push her chair away;

"I'm out Jane."

The three of them freeze, eyes fixed on Natasha when she walks into the room. The assassin keeps her head low, fixing a cup of coffee for herself in awkward silence. She throws her head over her shoulder, eyeing the demigod;

"You're uncharacteristically quiet."

Thor shakes his head, picking up a stack of cards before answering;

"If you question my health, I am well."

She huffs out a laugh, "But."

Jane chimes in, watching Darcy pace into the other room without saying a word to the red-head;

"We're just tired."

Tony walks in from the other entrance, tugging at his messy hair when he yawns;

"Oh my God it feels like its fricken midnight."

Jane checks her watch, "9:00. That's what happens when you have a baby. She keeps you busy."

He smirks, "I know. Pepper went to bed already."

Thor smiles, "Lady Stark needs her rest. She is not only caring for a child, but you as well."

Jane chuckles, watching Tony stare him down;

"Would you like to sleep outside Point-Break? You're under my roof remember."

"I am aware."

"Well, I'd zip it if I were you."

Natasha snickers, smile over her face when she glances over her shoulder, ready to bite back with one of her one. She stops, mouth going completely dry when she spots tender brown eyes looking right back at her. She swallows hard, unsure how to handle the physicist in the door frame.

He takes a deep breath, giving her a gentle smirk before making his way slowly into the room. Her head lowers to avoid even looking at him. Her eyes close when she hears him take a step inside, heart pounding just to feel his warmth as he walks past her.

The group freezes, all eyes fixed on the couple, not knowing what to expect from them. Tony covers his mouth, taking a step into the room off the kitchen to stand by Darcy and watch from a distance.

Jane turns her head back down to her cards, quietly urging Thor to do the same as opposed to just staring.

Bruce glances over towards her, seeing her head rested on her overlapped forearms as she waits for her coffee. He shakes his head, reaching up into the cabinets to get her mug for her. Natasha sighs with a smirk when she sees her favorite cup left on the counter by her elbow.

He watches her through his peripheral vision, pouring his own cup of tea before sitting at opposite end of the table from Thor and Jane. He leaves his book and glasses on the corner, head low with his eyes vague and lost in thought.

Romanoff pours her coffee once it's ready, gritting her teeth when she hears Tony at the piano. She feels like killing him when she hears the first few notes of 'Moon River', ready to storm from the room and abandon her coffee until she knocks into the edge of the table. Her feet pull from under as she stumbles, feeling gentle hands on her biceps. Her eyes stay closed, ready to hit the ground until her hand accidentally touches his chest. She can feel his heartbeat, enough to make her lose her defensive exterior and just melt when she realizes she's in his arms. Natasha should've known he'd jump up to catch her from falling.

Bruce looks at her empathetically, too lost over her contact to let her go just yet. She swallows when they make eye contact, feeling him slowly loosen his hold. Natasha removes her hand from his heart the instant he lets her go, gasping when she kneels to the floor to pick up his glasses;

"Bruce I'm sorry."

He kneels seconds after she does, tossing his book onto the table;

"It's alright Natasha.".

He huffs out a laugh when they stand upright. Romanoff opens his lenses, checking them in the light before cleaning them with the end of her shirt like she always did. Her face is flushed a bright red when she hands them back to him, watching him gnaw at his inner cheek. His fingers take them from her trembling hand, tossing them on top of his book before he starts to tug at his hands;

"So."

"Um."

She lowers her head, brushing a stray hair behind her ear;

"Al found us a place in the area."

Bruce nods half-heartedly, lock over his eye when he keeps his head turned away from hers;

"Oh, good. So you're happy with it?"

She nods, looking back up, "Yes."

Romanoff takes up her coffee when he doesn't answer verbally, sounding more business oriented then friendly;

"We leave early tomorrow morning."

He glances back at her, smirking nervously, "Oh. That soon?"

"Yes."

He shrugs, not sure how to answer her. His eyes flick back towards hers tongue rolling over his inner upper lip before holding the back of his neck;

"Um..."

She leans in, almost as if she's waiting for something, "Yes?"

"I uh-"

"Yes?"

He lowers his head, tone changing to be slightly more abrupt when he slips his glasses into his pocket and his eyes lower down towards the table;

"I'm happy for you."

She nods half-heartedly, almost disappointed when her eyes lower towards the ground. She lingers, shoulders dropping;

"Oh. Thank you."

Her eyes flick up visibly upset when he offers a smirk. It's too fake to be considered real, almost painful to hear his voice drop just above a whisper while he tries to appear completely unaffected;

"Well, goodnight Miss Romanoff."

She releases a heavy sigh,giving him a look before walking off in the other direction with her jaw set tighter then usual;

"Goodnight Dr. Banner."

His eyes follow her until she's out of the room. Bruce shuts his eyes, biting his cheek over how he must've sounded to her. He jumps, completely startled when Darcy Lewis snaps from the other room;

"Well?! Go after her you dope."

He grits his teeth, too heart-broken over losing Natasha to even pay attention to the reaction of Jane, Thor, and Tony. He rolls his eyes, growling under his breath before running after her.

Her name is at the tip of his tongue, tears in his eyes when he's ready to call for her. His eyes rove around the rooms after climbing a few stairs and jumping into the elevator. The doctor takes bigger steps when he gets to her floor, eyes fixed on her bedroom door. His heart drops when he catches a glimpse of the couple, hearing her chuckle when Alexei wraps her into his arms.

Bruce exhales a heavy sigh, watching quietly hidden from their view as the door closes. His hands run through his hair, taking a deep breath with his eyes closed. He tugs at his loose curls, wanting so badly to punch a hole in the wall when he starts to pace towards the stairs. He feels like crying when he presses his back against the wall, head thrown back when he inhales a shuddering breath.

_-It's better this way, it's what she wants. She's happy with him._

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Natasha takes a deep breath when she steps out of her room, duffel over her shoulder with Alexei behind her. She freezes, eyes softening the instant she sees him leaning against the wall beside the window.

Bruce shrugs with a smirk, "Do you need hand?"

Alexei smiles answering before Natasha can;

"Actually I think we're okay. Thank you for asking Dr. Banner."

He nods, eyes fixed on her. Romanoff shuts her eyes, removing the duffel from off her shoulder;

"You want to carry this down for me?"

Alexei attempts to multitask, ready to take it from her hands before Bruce does. Natasha walks ahead of the both of them with a hand over her temple, still trying to justify it in her mind.

Shostakov gives Bruce a friendly smile;

"So, how is your morning?"

He shrugs, "Fine. I could've slept another few hours but it's no big deal."

"Thanks for helping. I know I speak for both myself and my wife."

Bruce huffs out a nervous laugh, "Um, forget it. It's, no problem."

Alexei turns towards him, getting in an elevator as Natasha holds the door;

"So you'll have to come and visit. Did Natasha give you the address?"

Banner gives her a quick glance she doesn't return, since her back is turned to the both of them. He shakes his head 'no'. Alexei chuckles, tossing a bag onto the floor to snatch a piece of paper;

"What kind of a friend are you babe? Didn't give the doc an address...Here."

Banner shoves it into his pocket, not giving it much of a glance;

"Thanks. Where are you parked?"

Natasha holds the door for them;

"Just follow me."

Alexei tosses his stuff into the drunk, taking the duffel from Banner once his finished. Bruce shrugs when he looks back at Natasha;

"Is your place dog-friendly?"

She huffs out a laugh, running a hand through her hair when she lowers her voice;

"I was going to ask you about that."

He smirks, "I got him for _you_. Your name is on all his tags and paperwork."

She nods, biting her lower lip;

"And um...'the book'?"

He takes a deep breath, watching her face change drastically;

"It's still upstairs?"

She nods, "I haven't touched it since your last addition."

"I'll get it."

"I'll come with you, I have to wake up Alex and get his collar...Al I'll be right back."

He smirks, closing the trunk, "Okay."

. . . . . .

She swallows hard when he hands that plain gray journal to her, clutching it into her chest when he turns around to close the drawer;

"Bruce?"

"Yeah?"

"I never told you what time I was leaving. No one else is even up yet."

He shrugs, looking back at her with that broken smile;

"I couldn't sleep. I mean- I wasn't going to let you leave without, saying goodbye...?"

She sighs, having no intention of leaving him until she said those words regardless of where he was. And Natasha had a gutt feeling he spent most of the night pacing around the tower;

"Bruce I- _ugh_. Is there anything _you_ had to tell me?"

He feels his heart pounding out of his chest, wanting so badly to hold her just one more time, whisper those three little words into her ear. He lowers his head, shaking his head 'no';

"What's left to say?"

She nods tearfully, trying to appear a little stronger;

"I've got to go, Al's waiting. And Ivan's going to get mad."

He shuts his eyes, "Natasha?"

She tilts her head up towards his, "Yes?"

"Just um, call me, when you get there. If you need anything, I'm, I'm here. I'll always be there for you. Okay?"

She nods, biting at her lower lip;

"I will. Thank you."

Bruce releases a gentle sigh, tenderly lifting her chin up when he hears her inhale through a sniffle. He smiles reassuringly, using his thumb to brush the tear from her cheek;

"Natasha, please don't cry. Please Miss Romanoff. I, I care about you too much to see you upset."

"Bruce. I-. I don't know what to say."

He lowers his head, "You, better go, Natasha. Before Al comes up looking for you."

Romanoff nods, giving him a weak smile. She pulls from him when she can't handle anymore, head low when she dashes from his room with her dog at her heels.

He watches her until she's gone, sitting back on the bed with the empty drawers and furniture. Even her Gala lilies were dying on top of her dresser.

He takes a deep breath, standing up to head towards the window of her dancing studio. From his vantage point, he can see Ivan jump into the backseat of the vehicle before Alexei backs up to pull from the parking space. His heart hurts when he watches the three of them drive away. He kicks himself quietly, wondering what he could've said or done differently. But Natasha was happy, and she loved Alexei. Deep down inside, Bruce felt happy for her.

He stands there in a haze, not even sure what to do with himself without her around.

. . . . . . . . . . .

Alexei smiles, hearing her breathe a sigh with her head turned away from him;

"You alright babe?"

She gnaws at her fingernails, eyes wide and practically blank. Her ears are numb to his voice, not even reacting to his comment. She felt incomplete all of a sudden, colder without _his_ gentle smile and tender embrace.

The younger man slowly loses his smile, trying to get her attention for the second time;

"Tash?"

She idly runs her fingers over the edge of the book on her lap, recalling all the memories as she works her forefinger from side to side. Alexei tries again once her head lowers;

"Natasha? Can you hear me?"

Ivan lowers his eyebrows from behind her, petting the dog on the bench seat beside him;

"Natalia! Alexei is talking to you."

She jumps after hearing her father scold her, heart pounding when she looks at her driver. Shostakov shakes his head, reaching his hand over to rub her knee and lower thigh;

"Don't yell at her Ivan. It's okay babe. You tired hon?"

She moves her book closer to the door and further from his hand, adopting Banner's typical response for questions he never felt like answering;

"I'm fine."

He smirks, pulling into the parking lot of his large purchase. She lowers her eyebrows after looking out her window;

"I, thought we got the other apartment. Closer to the tower...not necessarily in Brooklyn."

He laughs, unbuckling his seatbelt;

"Oh no honey, that one was too small. This one is much bigger. Come, have a look _lyubov_."

He hands his keys to Ivan. Petrovich gives her a smile;

"You'll like it Natalia. I'll wait with your dog until you come out."

She smiles weakly, shoving her hands into her jean pockets while Alexei takes a small step ahead of her.

Natasha stares wide-eyed, following him through the penthouse apartment;

"Al, this is...huge."

He wraps an arm around her shoulder, standing in the main living room;

"Picture this pumpkin, we'll have everything we ever wanted. Space, time. We'll have a nice place to relax and kick back after a long mission together."

She tries to find the positive in the large empty area;

"Al, it's...so big. Do we really need this? It's just the two of us."

"And Ivan."

She shrugs, "And my dog...I just think this is too much."

He takes her hands, "Hon, I've been thinking."

She rolls her eyes playfully, "Uh oh."

"We only tried once before, and I've been thinking; I'm not getting any younger, and before we get too old, I want to have a family."

Her mouth drops open, lump in her throat, "Al, you know-"

"-You can try for me can't you babe?"

"I-"

"I know we've had problems in the past but medical help is more readily available in America don't you think?"

"Well I-"

"We'll talk about it. Just imagine it sweety,' he turns her around, both hands on her shoulders while she stares at the excessively large open room, 'Kids running around the room, chasing the dogs. Your father can help us watch them. We can have six or seven."

She smiles weakly when she looks back at him. She tries to smirk over the sore subject;

"Dogs?"

He stutters, "Well...I was thinking more along the lines of children? No matter. We can get each child a dog. Now what do you think about that Tash?"

"I-."

He lowers his eyebrows, "You're unhappy."

She scoffs, tears in her eyes, "Al..."

_-I love you, but you show up out of nowhere and think I've waited all those years for you, force me to leave the place I've called my home, leave the man I love, take me to this huge empty and gaudy apartment to call my new home, talk of children you already know I can't have-And Ivan is moving in with us?!_

He wraps a hand around her lower back to pull her close to him. The things she wouldn't say!;

"Tash, I want things to be the way they were. I just want us to be happy, no matter what. I want us to be together. You feel the same way, I know you do."

She nods, laying the back of her hand over his cheek;

"Al? Just promise me that, you love me for me. For who I am, not what I can or can't give you."

He smiles, pressing his lips against hers;

"You're beautiful Tash. I love you. Do you love me?"

She nods, wrapping her arms around his neck to hold him close. She's not sure if she can answer verbally. She doesn't doubt her affection for him, but those three words still belonged to someone else;

"Just promise me forever Al. Promise you won't leave me."

"I will love you forever Tash. I promise."

"No matter what?"

"No matter what."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Stark sleepily makes his way through his home, tugging at his top before yawning shamelessly. He mumbles, pushing the door for his lab;

"Brucey? You up?"

The doctor keeps his focus down, hands holding his head with his elbows rested on the table. Tony takes a slow step inside before parking in the chair across from him. He tugs at his short hair, yawning a second time before mumbling;

"I can't believe you're up this early,' he smirks, 'Did Natasha wake you up?"

Bruce shrugs, voice uncharacteristically softer and much quieter than usual;

"Kind of."

Tony smiles, practically jumping out of his skin when he misinterprets the comment;

"I knew it! When are you going to get it through that thick skull that you're the one she cares about?! Huh?! You've got a good thing going with that girl! Don't screw up. Where is she? What's wrong with you?! Why aren't you with her?"

He mumbles, never looking up since Tony walked in the room;

"I got up early to send her off."

Stark nods, eyes widening suddenly when he makes the connection;

"Excuse me?"

Bruce tries to swallow a lump in his throat, still sounding completely calm;

"I let her go."

Tony drops his voice, feeling his hands go completely numb;

"You- But-...What are you thinking?! Why?!"

He inhales a deep breath;

"Because, I love her."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Pepper chokes on her tea, ready to spit it out all over Steve when she raises her voice the same time as Darcy and Barton;

"He did what!?"

Tony holds his head, aimlessly rolling his pointer finger over the table;

"Don't shoot the messenger."

Maria rolls her eyes, tugging at her hair, "He's out of his mind."

Clint slaps his forehead in complete disgust;

"What is she thinking?!"

Steve shakes his head, "She's not, that's the problem."

Jane buries her face in her arms, "What are we going to do?"

Rogers shrugs his shoulders;

"There's nothing we _can_ do. It's her life, it's her choice."

Thor crosses his arms;

"It is an unwise decision to run off with someone you have not seen in years."

Maria Hill closes her eyes, tapping her mouth with her clasped hands;

"Alexei is a good guy, it's Ivan I worry about."

Darcy grits her teeth, "That twisted son of a bitch!"

Stark rolls his eyes, reaching for his phone when Pepper releases a heavy sigh;

"Where is Bruce right now?"

"In the lab. I offered him something constructive to do if he wants."

Steve chimes in, "We shouldn't leave him alone for too long."

Tony gives him a glare before answering his call;

"Rogers, his wife just uproot him. I really don't think he wants company right now..._Hello Rhodey_._Well I have no problem with you coming over but don't expect smiles and happiness. Just plenty of beer and a killer hangover._"

Darcy stands up, quick to pop the cork;

"Who else needs a drink?"

She stands there far from effected when every person in the room raises a hand.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

The red-head rolls her eyes, laying a box on the ground with the phone pressed against her ear;

"Hi Pepper, it's Nat."

"_Hi Natasha what do you need?"_

She scoffs, "What do I need...I girl can't call her friend just to talk?"

"_Well I supposed you could. How are things working out for you?"_

"Oh fine. How's the baby?"

_"Sleeping soundly. How do you like your new home?"_

Natasha lowers her focus when she feels the dog rubbing his nose against the back of her knee;

"It's nice. Ivan and Al are moving furniture. Did you get the picture I sent?"

_"Yes I did. It's a very large living space."_

"To say the least. It's...different."

Natasha lowers her eyebrows, heart pounding a mile a minute when she hears a familiar voice. Pepper's chuckle gives her chills when she mumbles;

"Was that Bruce?"

_"Oh, sorry. Yes that was Dr. Banner."_

She bites her lip, "What did he say?"

_"He's just giving me a message from Tony."_

"How is he doing?"

_"He's alright. Tony's been keeping him busy in the lab on different projects. I know he's not himself, but he tries to stay positive. First week was rough. Stayed in his room when he wasn't hiding in the lab. But he seems a little better, especially since Clint's been waking him up every morning and making sure he's not left alone for too long. You know how he gets, and he's been through so much. Hurt so many times. He's the sensitive, emotional sort. Very sweet, always kind. It's a shame more people don't see this side of him...Oh well. What can you do? He's been trying to call you since you left."_

Natasha smirks, glancing over her shoulder to make sure Alexei isn't listening;

"I know. I've been, busy. Tell him I'm sorry. Make him a nice warm cup of tea for me? Herbal no sugar."

_"I will. Will we see you soon?"_

"Well, I'll see the team soon apparently. Fury called to tell me about the mission."

_"Oh. But I'm not invited. Will I see you soon?"_

"Once the house is finished I'll have everyone over...Sorry, Al's calling me. I've got to go."

_"Take care of yourself."_

"I will. Give Antonia a kiss for me."

_"Yep. Bye." _

"Bye." She rests a hand over her forehead, eyes closed when she takes a deep breath. Natasha takes a deep breath before she answers her husband;

"Coming Al."

He smirks, lowering his eyebrows, "Who were you on the phone with?"

She shrugs, "Pepper."

Ivan narrows his focus, leaning on the couch he just moved into place. He knew exactly what he was saying;

"And who does she need to make tea for?"

"A friend."

"Oh! I thought I heard the name 'Bruce'. That's nice of you to care about such a heartless creature."

Alexei smirks curiously, "Bruce? Bruce Banner?"

Natasha gives her father a look, moving the furniture when it 'mistakenly' lands on his foot; Alexei panics, running to the other end to help him;

"Ivan! You alright?"

Natasha shrugs her shoulders, somewhat bitter;

"Sorry Papa. I didn't see your foot. I'll get ice."

Alexei sighs when she walks away, letting Ivan sit on the furniture before he opens his mouth;

"Why would she still be asking about him? I guess their just friends right?"

Petrovich releases a heavy sigh, "I told you; keep her for a month and she'll forget about him. Give it another three weeks. But if _you_ don't find some way to occupy her time and give her something to fill her mind with, _she_ will."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

At night it hurts the most, wishing she was there to steal his pillow, laugh, and shake him from the nightmares. He never dreamt this much about his father, Betty, or General Ross with her around and he knew it only started up again when she left.

Bruce stays in his bed trembling, proud of himself not two minutes ago for not crying once all day. He was proud of himself for staying positive, lingering with the team and Rhodey for most of the day. He tried so hard to appear fine around everyone else, not wanting them to worry or trail him around the house like he needed supervision. Now, things were different and he felt as though he was going to snap, break down and cry like he had done two nights before.

He couldn't sleep, gritting his teeth over the memories and current agony. He felt completely sick, abandoned and kicked to the curb like an unwanted piece of trash. He blamed himself for letting her go, Not fighting hard enough when he had the chance.

He wrestles with his pillow before he debates on pacing the room. Banner knows he's exhausted both mentally and physically, well aware of the growling giant inside of him begging to be set free. If she was here this wouldn't be so hard, knowing she'd hold him close, tell him she loves him.

He reaches for his phone not expecting anything but a brief hello and abrupt goodbye. He hasn't tried it as this hour yet, but he figures their close enough for it. He highlights her number when he debates on calling her, regardless of the fact that it's 1:30 in the morning. As kind as the team had been, Clint and Tony in particular, she was the only one he trusted enough to confide in completely. And the fact that he hadn;t heard a word from her since she left had him worried. He needed to know she was safe and content,

_Just hearing her voice would be enough to ease some of his pain and worry_...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

She closes her eyes, biting her lip when she tucks her hands under her pillow. She hears Alexei rambling, leaving his hand over her waist while he holds his body up against the back of hers. He whispers to her, kisses her ear after every few words;

"You're laughing. I knew you were awake."

She smirks, resting her hand over his;

"Al, it's late. Go to sleep."

"Tash? Can you do something for me?"

She chuckles, "No."

He smirks, planting a kiss on her cheek;

"Aw, come on."

She sighs when he doesn't take the hint, lifting his hand to her shoulder;

"Babe?"

"No."

"Tasha?"

"Not tonight Al. Go to sleep."

He wrinkles his face up, "You said that yesterday...And the day before. And the day before that..."

She rolls her eyes, "Al, it's like, 1:30 in the morning. Just go to sleep."

"I can't sleep, I have too much energy right now babe. Come on. You're awake so don't even try it."

Natasha jumps when he turns her onto her back whether or not she's given him any consent, already trailing his nose and kisses down her body. She digs her fingers in his short hair, eyes expressing her startled nature. She thinks better of it before telling him to stop, knowing he's been patient enough for the past week.

Romanoff jumps as things progress, knowing he's moving way to fast then what she's been used to as of late;

"Easy Al, easy. Gently- _Oh_. Easy, easy. Alexei!"

He trembles from the anticipation, stopping for a brief moment to brush the hair from her cheek;

"You alright?"

She nods half-heartedly, hugging his head over her shoulder so he wouldn't see the tears in her eyes or pick up on the lump in her throat.

"I'm fine. I'm okay."

_He wasn't rough or cruel, but he certainly wasn't tender._

She throws her head back, thinking she hurt her phone ring once. Alexei glances up at her when he hears it too, hands frozen over the waistband of her pajamas;

"You're not going to answer that right?"

"Um."

"Whose calling you at this hour? Fury calls the house."

"I don't know."

"It sounds like they hung up anyway."

Natasha can't ignore that gut feeling that she should just check it, but the look in his eyes is tearing her apart, as if he's begging for a little time with just the two of them.

She grits her teeth, eyes closed;

"Don't, read the caller I.D, I don't want to know. Just turn it off for me. Please."

He smirks, skillfully reaching over to the night-table to turn her cell phone off without ever shifting his focus from off of her. She swallows hard, heart aching when she feels like she should've just answered the phone.


	10. My My, I Should Not Have Let You Go

_**A/N: :) Hi guys. Hope you're having a safe holiday. Enjoy the update everyone! Thanks to all my readers. Please remember to review. **_

* * *

_**RFK22: Ivan is definitly up to something. That twisted criminal. Hope you're having a better week my friend. :)**_

_**Irishbrneyes: Awesome. Thanks for looking that up for me. :) Yuck! My Lord, you knew someone like Alexei? You poor thing. I'm just glad you're not with him anymore. lol. Bruce knows something's off with Natasha, but this chapter puts it in black and white for him. He'll put his foot down soon. :)**_

_**Nova Fearnewood: I laughed when I read your description of Alexei because you have him pegged so well. You are so funny, I love your reviews. Aw, yes, her Vrach will be coming for her.**_

* * *

"Alright Doc, my turn."

Darcy smirks, quick to take Antonia from Banner's arms when she pleads hard enough. Pepper chuckles from the sofa, checking her watch;

"You guys need to get moving, it's going on 10:00."

Clint swings his body up from the furniture, eyes wide when he runs to snatch his bow and arrows;

"Come on Maria!"

Hill taps her foot sarcastically, "Well, I'm ready. You guys are the ones loitering around!"

Jane shrugs, brushing off the demigod when she smiles;

"I wish I was going with you."

He smiles, gently taking up her hand, "Be well Lady Foster. I will think of you until I return."

She blushes, receiving a nudge from Tony Stark as he brushes by, coughing sarcastically over the mushy couple;

"Alright, alright. Brucey boy, you ready?"

Banner nods, smirking when he tenderly removes Antonia's hand from his. Darcy chuckles;

"She didn't fuss this much when Banner was holding her."

Pepper smirks, standing up to take her baby from Lewis. Tony brushes by, hugging his wife from the back;

"I'll see you later Pepper."

"Be careful Tony. I love you."

He kisses her cheek, rubbing Antonia's head before he walks off;

"I love you too Pep."

Maria rolls her eyes, watching Thor ready to scoop up Jane into his arms;

"Earth to the Asgardian; We're late! Let's go!"

Darcy snickers, waving to her friends as Steve holds the door for the rest of his team;

"Have fun guys."

Stark looks over his shoulder once he gets into his car, eyes frozen on his physicist in the passenger seat. Bruce didn't sit still, head constantly turning with the phone pressed against his ear while he rolled his tongue over the roof of his mouth. He couldn't settle his stomach, nervous for that red-head even if he would see her in a matter of minutes. The clock did nothing to stop his anxiety, wondering why a typically talkative young lady would go completely quiet and dodge his phone calls.

Tony shakes his head, listening when he hears an automated voicemail on the other end. He knew that number, huffing out a laugh when he watches Banner shove his phone back into his pocket before holding his forehead;

"You alright?"

He sits up abruptly, trying to appear completely fine when he smirks;

"Yeah fine. Thanks."

"Don't feel like talking?"

"Well, what would you like to talk about."

"_Well_, I have a new project I want to start up next week..."

Steve holds his head when Tony starts to ramble with all his scientific explanations. Rogers sighs from the back seat;

"Speak English guys! We have no idea what your saying!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

She paces the rooms, zipping up her typical black uniform. Natasha leans forward in the small mirror of her quarters, discontent with marks on her collarbone the trailed down just a little further. She had forgotten Alexei was a biter. Romanoff shakes her head, digging through her makeup for a coverup for those hickeys and love-bites she didn't ask for in the first place.

Natasha jumps when she hears a brief knock on the door, hardly given anytime to prepare or answer before it opens. She throws her hand over her heart when she sees him, trying to appear completely calm and collected;

"Hi Al. Um...why, are you still here."

He smiles, standing behind her when he wraps his arms around her waist;

"I was talking to Fury in case you were wondering. Asked him if I could go on the mission with you."

She lowers her eyebrows, laying a hand over his to give him polite hints to stop touching her;

"Why?"

"Why not? You could use a little muscle beside um, Thor is it?"

She snickers, shaking her head, "We have hulk Al. He can do a lot more-"

"Yeah but at least I don't lose my mind over a little destruction. Even Fury says he needs someone who can be sure to take orders. Using the green one's risky because no one knows what he's thinking or what he's going to do."

"Yeah but, he understands what's going on around him. He's not some mindless creature Al, he has feelings-"

"I never said anything like that. All I said was he's hard to read. And it doesn't matter because I'll be there if he goes off or doesn't want to cooperate...You're unhappy."

She rolls her eyes, pulling away from him with a smile, still trying to be polite;

"I'm fine."

Natasha shuts her eyes when he grabs her, snaking an arm back around her waist. He trails his nose down her shoulder;

"Where are you going Tash. Is my girl sick?"

She sighs, "I'm not sick, I just don't feel right-"

"What bothering you Sweety?"

Natasha clenches her teeth when he kisses down her arm before sliding to her shoulder-blade;

"Al, can you stop, please."

Natasha feels bad when he slowly lets her go, eyes narrowed in her direction while he waits for an explanation. She throws her face in her open palms before mumbling;

"I'm sorry, I just...I'm trying to get ready for the mission."

He nods, practically pouting when he looks at her;

"You alright?"

She sighs, falling back into the chair behind her;

"I just don't feel good. You don't even know that I threw up this morning do you?"

He smirks, coming to his knees to sit at her feet;

"No. I was asleep."

She nods, arms wrapped around her stomach while he lays his over her knees;

"I figured."

He can't help but smile, eyes wide;

"You think you're pregnant?"

Natasha huffs out a breath of air, head bowed low;

"No Al. No."

"Why not? It's possible. Wouldn't that be beautiful Tash? There's got to be something we can try in this day and age. Your problem can't be _that_ serious. I mean, tons of women go for surgery everyday, go for tests and all that jazz."

She shrugs with an eye roll, swallowing heavy when she rubs his hand. Natasha lowers her head, trailing her forefinger over his hand. It's bigger then Banners and a little rougher too.

He sighs, planting a kiss on her cheek. Romanoff shuts her eyes, refusing to let go of his hand;

"Al?"

He smirks, looking down at the red-head. She swallows hard, unable to stop her lip from quivering;

"If we can't, will you still love me?"

Alexei rolls his eyes with a smile, pressing his mouth against hers;

"Of course Tash. You're my wife. I'll love you no matter what."

She throws her arms around his neck, trying to hide her face in his muscular shoulder and firm embrace.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Steve holds his shield, ready to just jump from the helicopter if they didn't land soon. Thor already made his move, taking off with Stark to stir things up in the city.

Barton sits in the passenger seat, letting Alexei pilot the air craft for the team. He had no problem giving orders, dictating where the Russian should land and other minor details. And Shostakov didn't mind, figuring he could learn something from Clint's interpretation, even if he still thought his ideas were the correct ones.

Natasha took it upon herself to look after Banner and his alter ego, watching him from a distance to avoid suspicion. She calculates the distance before standing beside him with arms crossed, watching him read through what the mission entailed with his glasses slipping down his nose. Natasha tilts her head, heart pounding a mile a minute when she stands so close to him;

"Hello stranger."

He smirks, removing his glasses before biting at the end. He takes a deep breath, eyes fixed on hers before he opens his mouth;

"How are you Miss Romanoff?"

"Oh, fine."

"Just, _fine?"_

She exhales a sigh, eyes fixed on the floor when she stays 'business oriented';

"Fury says he needs you to clear out those radioactive creatures. Alright?"

"_Hulk_, technically."

"I'm just telling you because, not for nothing but you paid absolutely no attention to the meeting before. You looked like your mind was someplace else."

He lifts his eyebrows, thinking about how her eyes were vague and almost lost through the entire lecture;

"It's, none of my business, but you weren't exactly present yourself Miss Romanoff."

She grits her teeth, when she sees Alexei's ready to land, rolling her tongue over her inner cheek when she looks back at him;

"Ready Doctor?"

"Are you?"

She lowers her focus, unable to look at him for too long. She missed his whit, his tender eyes and, just the way he was.

"I'll tell you when Doc. Just stay by me until we let you transform, okay?"

He nods with a smirk, trying to get Natasha to smile instead of looking so lost;

"You let your hair down after the meeting."

She lowers her focus when she smiles, knowing she subconsciously did it for him;

"Is that a compliment?"

"Just an observation."

Alexei jumps from the aircraft, opening the door to give Natasha a hand that she refuses. She gives him a wink instead, jumping onto the pavement with her pistol in her hand and her _Vrach_ behind her. Shostakov stays close to her, running ahead of both Banner and Barton. Romanoff stops when she sees an enemy, firing before glancing over her shoulder;

"You ready Bruce?"

Clint makes his move when Banner let's himself loose, taking a dive to protect himself from hulk's rage once he blew up.

Alexei stares wide-eyed, grabbing Natasha to pull her from off the street once their friend changes completely. She growls, giving him a look;

"What are you worried about?"

"That thing is huge Tash, he'll squash you."

Clint scoffs at the idea, eavesdropping on the couple's conversation;

"Hulk wouldn't even think about flicking Nat let alone crushing her."

She rolls her eyes, trying to pull from Alexei when she hears him roaring. Her husband tugs her back down with one hand;

"Tash!"

She tugs back, "Trust me Al, he's not going to hurt me."

"Well, you're staying with me. Just for today."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"I caught the criminal. He's cuffed and basically useless."

Steve clutches his ear piece;

"Alright Stark. Get Fury on that."

"Once we clear off the streets we'll be okay."

"Alright."

"Say Cap, tell me how useless Alexei's been."

"He's not. He actually works well with Clint and Natasha."

Stark turns, trying to shake an enemy from off his tail;

"Damn. I was hoping he did nothing. Then we could trash him."

"Be nice Stark. He's done nothing wrong."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

She throws herself, tumbling forward to avoid a swipe from a radioactive enemy. Those green eyes startled her more than hulk's ever had, far more vicious and determined to kill then her friend ever was. She defeats two, ready to scream before a large green frame gently scoops her from harms way.

Natasha can hear him shrill, roaring and screaming when he takes the hits for her. She jumps, trying to climb over his shoulder and shoot them from off his back. He takes care of most of it, ensuring she's safe before he takes his swing. Natasha dives from off of him to help, stopping only when she thinks he can handle the rest.

Shostakov jumps in when he can, stealing Romanoff from hulk's protective stance;

"Are you alright?"

She sighs, finally able to catch her breath, "I'm fine Al."

Thor runs to the group, panting with his hammer in his hand and Rogers at his side;

"Has our mission been accomplished?"

Barton shrugs, having just arrived. He nods behind him, acknowledging the roaring and excessive smashing behind him;

"Well hulk still looks busy."

Stark lands himself in the middle, rolling his eyes when an aircraft lands a few feet away. He's ready to puke when Ivan comes running out, eager to scoop up his daughter into his arms;

"_Malyshka_. Are you okay?"

Natasha cringes when he hugs her as if she's been gone for weeks. Alexei smirks, brushing off a little debris from her shoulder;

"I took care of her Ivan, no worries."

Rogers lifts his eyebrows, not sure how to handle all the attention Petrovich and Alex were giving her. He gives Tony a look, slightly mortified over the ordeal. Natasha tries to stay polite, pulling from the both of them;

"I'm fine, really. I've been through a lot worse guys. This was easy."

Alexei can't help but take a step forward when the green one makes his way to the group, eyes fixed on Natasha. He could pick up on her energy and uncomfortable vibe, not sure who was responsible for making her feel that way.

He snarls when Alexei takes another step forward, practically snapping at him like a caged animal when he gets a little too close for his comfort. Ivan lowers his eyebrows;

"Ha! I've never seen that before. Has he gone rabid?"

Natasha snaps, glaring at her father for his comment;

"Don't talk about him like that! He just doesn't trust you."

Ivan shrugs, "You never know."

Hulk gives the older Russian a glare, snarling when he fixes his eyes on his new enemy. Alexei jumps for Ivan's sake, looking at Clint or Stark for help. Tony glances over his shoulder as if he doesn't care what hulk decided to do with the two of them, almost hoping he would take a swing and teach him a lesson.

Shostakov mumbles to the red-head;

"When does he change back? What do you do? Do you shoot him up with tranquilizers?"

She narrows her focus, mouth dropping open over his suggestion, "No!"

He chuckles, trying to wrap his arm around her waist to apologize;

"I'm sorry Tash, I didn't mean it like that."

She jumps, still recovering from his remark;

"Don't touch me Al, not right now."

Hulk growls, roaring when the Russian only tries to pull her closer. His green eyes narrow, eyebrows lowering as if to say _'Didn't you hear her?'_

Ivan's comment earns another glare from Barton whose ready to open his mouth until Hulk takes a swing. the team jumps, mouths open when he successfully knocks Ivan off his feet when Alexei dodges the hit that was clearly meant for him.

Tony takes a step forward, speaking half-heartedly;

"Alright, take it easy buddy-"

He snarls, warning to Tony to stay away from him. The Iron Man lifts his eyebrows, slowly backing up. This was new for him, "Okay then."

Natasha lowers her eyebrows, fearlessly walks up to the hulk. She raises her voice to him, trying to reestablish the eye contact he keeps breaking. He knows he's upset the girl he loves;

"Hulk! What is wrong with you?! _Hmm?_ Look at me."

Alexei jumps to help Ivan to his feet, ready to grab Natasha when he thinks hulk would try to knock her down. Natasha raises a hand behind her when she sees him coming in her peripheral vision, waving off the rest of the team while she tries to reason with her friend. Petrovich sighs, watching from a distance when he tastes the blood on his lip from the hit.

Steve pushes the team away, realizing she'd get further without so many eyes on them. Shostakov lingers, not trusting the hulk for anything. Natasha turns her head, practically yelling at him;

"Go Alex, please. We need a moment."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm the only one who can talk to him Al, he doesn't trust anyone else the way he does me. Go please?"

Her husband contorts his mouth, obeying her request despite how he really feels about it.

Romanoff takes a step to the side when hulk turns his head, still trying to avoid her. She leans forward with eyes wide;

"Look at me Hulk."

He moans, eyes tender when he looks her way. She sighs;

"I don't understand, what's gotten into you? You never hit the team. Stop ignoring me, I get that enough at home right now."

He stays focused on her, tender eyes finally looking her way;

"Spider unhappy?"

She crosses her arms, "I'm unhappy with your behavior. Why did you try to hit my husband? He didn't do anything to you."

"He hurt Spider. Not listen."

She shrugs, "No, he didn't. But that doesn't give you a reason to try and hit him. He was a part of the team today. So, if Barton doesn't listen next time are you going to hit him too?"

He shakes his head, knowing she doesn't understand;

"Hulk hit other man who bother Puny Bruce...But hulk meant to hit big man who hurt Spider! Not listen to Spider!"

Natasha exhales a heavy sigh, to tired to argue with him or hide how she really felt;

"I know you got upset with Alexei. But you ended up hitting Ivan who already does not like you. _Ugh_...I know you were trying to protect me, but you can't be attacking people like that."

He moans, looking away from her while he searches for something to destroy. She tilts her head, wanting him to calm down and talk to her;

"Hulk? Look at me."

He practically whispers, like a disobedient child, "No."

"Why not?"

"Because Spider lie."

She sighs, feeling so guilty, "I know."

He snaps, realizing she doesn't understand where he's coming from. He throws his fist into the pavement, wishing he could communicate clearer;

"No! Spider not want hulk to see she's sad. Spider should be happy. Not sad. Big man tell Spider what to do. He not listen to Spider. But Spider not want hulk to smash big man and protect Spider."

Natasha sighs, standing up to touch his hand;

"I'm not hiding anything. And the only reason I don't let you hurt Alexei is because he isn't a bad person. He's a good guy. He wouldn't hurt me, he loves me. And Ivan, I don't know but you cannot be hitting the team."

He waits a moment, thinking about what she's said. He seems calmer since she's touched him and held his hand;

"Big man not hurt Spider?"

She smiles, gently touching his cheek;

"Are you talking about Alexei? Hulk, I'm trying sweetheart, but I can't understand you today. Who are you talking about? Alexei?"

"Yes."

"Then of course not. You don't have to worry about me. I'm happy, I'm safe. And Alexei is very sweet. He's just overprotective sometimes that's all. Okay big guy? You understand?"

"Yes."

"You alright sweetheart? I'm here. We're safe, you can calm down. Can I have Bruce back now?"

He melts over her touch, skin slowly starting to change. Her voice softens, thumb rubbing over his cheek when she remains just as supportive, gentle and comforting as she always is for her precious _Vrach_. She holds his hand a little tighter when she hears his breathing change, reacting to his tightening muscles and rough reversion back to his human form.

Natasha hugs him close when he becomes unsteady on his feet. She knows changing is always complicated for him, well aware of the fact that he needed someone while he was that vulnerable both mentally and physically whether or not he'd agree with that.

She can't help but feel for him, running her hand through his thick hair when she sees him tremble and groaning softly over his discomfort;

"_Shh_, it's alright. You're okay, I'm not going hurt you."

His eyes close, not sure how to hand her sweet voice. He keeps his hands to himself, arms overlapping with his head pressed against her mid-section;

"Is that Romanoff...?"

She scoffs through a whisper, slowly releasing her touch when she realizes he's coming to. The last thing she needed to be doing was giving him mixed signals, no matter how badly she wanted to hold him;

"Who else would it be Dr. Banner?"

He smirks, head bowed low enough for her not to see him. He glances around with his peripheral vision, hugging his torn pants into his abdomen;

"Where's um...the rest of the team?"

"They went in. I needed to have a chat with Hulk."

He sighs, hand over his forehead, "Great. Now what'd he do?"

She shrugs, reaming as honest as possible;

"Nothing he shouldn't have. Come on Doc, let's put you back together."

. . . . . . . . .

Alexei tilts his head when he watches from the window of the aircraft, eyes fixed on the red-head and the physicist as they make their way inside. He rolls his eyes when Ivan starts to growl;

"That thing is a monster, he belongs in a cage. Should have been destroyed years ago."

Alex shrugs his shoulders;

"I don't know Ivan, I don't think he's that bad."

Ivan snaps, removing the ice pack from his lip;

"He went for you before he hit me! The only reason your not in this chair right now is because you dodged his swing! And I thought you were on my side?"

He scoffs, taking the dull pack from his hand and replacing it with another one;

"I am, but I don't think he's the monster you make him out to be. I think he's a good friend to Tash."

Alexei jumps when he receives a glare from the older man, "What?"

"He is not a good friend, he's dangerous. Don't let him around her Alexei, you hear me?"

He sighs, "I hear you and I know where you're coming from, but Tash really likes him. They seem like have a nice friendship."

"Which is why you have to separate them from each other! You want her to run off with that mutant?! Abandon you!?"

He lowers his eyebrows,crossing his arms when he leans his side against the window;

"You told me it wasn't like that."

"Do you want to give their so called 'friendship' a chance to spark and turn into something more?! Be careful Alexei."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Sorry to bother you Dr. Banner, I know you're probably exhausted."

"You're not bothering me Miss Romanoff."

Bruce shakes his head from inside the bathroom, rinsing a cloth in the sink before dabbing a little medicated liquid on. He rolls up the sleeves of his clean top to his elbows while she talks, waiting on the bed in his quarters for him to check an injury over her calf;

"So, are you happy in your apartment?"

She nods even though she knows he can't see her, feet brushing against the floor when she mumbles;

"Al is happy with it so, it's fine."

"But are _you_ satisfied with your new home?"

She nods with a shrug;

"It's pretty."

He smirks, sitting in the chair beside the bed while he looks at her open wound. He rests her foot over his thigh, mind fixed on easing her pain while he ignores the small blood stain she left on his pants. He can feel her muscles tensing the instant he touches it, easing up on his hold when he realizes she can't handle it;

"You've got to be more careful Natasha."

She cringes, gripping the comforter with her clenched fists;

"Oh God that burns."

"Watch where you're working and we won't have this problem anymore."

She grimaces, "Stitches?"

He gives her a look, "What do you think?"

Natasha mumbles under her breath, "I don't like you in physician mode."

He smirks, eyes flicking upward over her comment, "_Physician mode_?"

"Yes. You make me do things I don't want to do."

"Do you feel better afterwards?"

"I- Well...That's not the point."

Bruce lowers his head, gently turning her leg to get a better handle on the size of her gash;

"Well then what _is_ your point Miss Romanoff?"

"That I don't like stitches and doctor's in general."

"You asked me to check it."

"Yes, _look_ at it. Not play with it."

"I wasn't going to let you go home like this."

She crosses her arms, "Sneaky. Making me sit here to 'relax' for a minute and you whip out your first aid kit. More like 'hospital kit'. Damn it Bruce that hurts."

She jumps when she hears a knock on the open door, despite Banner's calm and collected demeanor. She covers her face, cheeks flushed a bright red when Alexei walks in whether or not he's invited inside;

"There you are babe. I've been looking for you. I'm glad you decided to get help though."

Bruce flicks his eyes upwards, focused on her eyes since he felt her jump;

"You alright Miss Romanoff?"

She nods, mumbling after she removes her hands;

"Sorry. Al just startled me."

Banner rolls his tongue over the roof of his mouth, carefully watching the way Shostakov wraps his arm around her waist despite her attempt to slide a centimeter away from him. He forces her head over his shoulder once he gets what he wants, stroking her hair while she grits her teeth;

"Does she need stitches Doc?"

Bruce lowers his eyebrows, not sure how to handle the Russian and the awkward way he keeps grabbing her and moving her around despite her obvious discontent. Natasha nods to answer his question, lifting her head up from his shoulder;

"Yes, I do."

Banner contorts his mouth, even her voice is a little softer then it was not two minutes ago. No one else would pick up on the change, or her subtle body language, but he did. Bruce knew her well enough to see a difference in her personality. After all, he had spent enough time around her to know that something was off.

He gently lifts her foot from off him, laying it on his chair before standing up to snatch his tools for sutures. He can hear Alexei whisper and chuckle. Part of him twists on the inside, especially after he hears her whisper for him to stop; _Alexei couldn't have been that rough with her_. Bruce subtly glances over his shoulder, watching her shift uncomfortably until the Russian apologizes.

Banner takes his place once again, gently laying her foot back on his lap. He gives her an empathetic look, practically begging her to open up and talk to him the next time they get a chance. Natasha lowers her head, feeling Alexei rub her back while she focuses downward to avoid her _Vrach_;

"I was uh, telling Bruce about our apartment."

Shostakov gives her a look, "You did a good job with it Sweety."

"We did it together."

He smirks, brushing his nose against hers. She chuckles, feeling him touch a tickle spot over her ribcage;

"Al! Bruce is doing stitches!"

"He didn't start yet. I was watching."

Banner widens his eyes between the two of them, glad he listened to that gut feeling he should wait a second. His hand lingers over her wound, needle in his fingers;

"Well, I'm starting now. Try not to move Miss Romanoff."

She nods with a smile, "Sorry Bruce."

Alexei holds her hand, feeling her squeeze back when the physician makes his inital stitch;

"You jumped baby."

She tries to smile, eyes closed when she cringes over the pinch;

"Sorry."

Banner rubs her skin with his thumb, trying to give her senses something else to concentrate on;

"It's alright Natasha. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. You can keep going Doc."

Bruce takes his time, not wanting to hurt her in any way. Alexei jumps up the instant Banner says she's done. The Russian scoops her up into his arms, practically dragging her out of the room before she can even process what's happening;

"Al, you're out of your mind."

Banner tosses his equipment into the bin, mouth contorted once the couple leave his room. He sits back in his chair completely exasperated just watching Alex. His eyes go blank, knowing Natasha was unhappy whether or not she wanted to admit it. The trick was going to be how he could get her to open up and talk, tell him how she really felt about all this; _Without _her father or her husband around to stop him or antagonize her. She'd only lie if they were within earshot anyway.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

"You just make me laugh. Sit still Barton."

He snickers, 'attacking' Maria Hill from the back with the intent of starting up a wrestle. She pulls away, clenching a fist before punching him back;

"Stop it Clint."

He smirks, clutching his cheek after her punch, "Oh come on! You missed me."

"Of course I did. But that does not mean you get to hug me!"

He makes a face, "Well? When _can_ I hug you?"

"When we get back to the tower."

"Not cool Maria."

She laughs, tossing her belongings into a her bag;

"Oh come on, we'll be home in literally two hours. You can wait you little cuddle bug."

He twists his mouth, sitting on the edge of the bed in her quarters to play with her hair;

"_Cuddle bug_? That's new."

Steve knocks on the door before entering, arms crossed while he watches Clint wrap his arms around Maria's neck;

"What up Rogers."

He rolls his eyes, "Stark's ready to leave when you guys are."

Maria chuckles, trying to get her friend off of her;

"Alright Clint, get off. Come on let's go."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Stark waves his keys in the air, whistling to round up his crew and load them in his car;

"Move it people! Wifey and baby need me home right now."

Barton gives Natasha a punch goodbye, aiming for her bicep when she ducks and successfully flips him onto his back within a matter of seconds. Alexei chuckles from beside her, arms crossed when he mumbles;

"You haven't changed Tash."

She huffs out a laugh, ignoring her husband with her eyes fixed on Clint when he jumps up to get back at her;

"Go home you idiot."

Barton scoffs, pushing her a little harder than he intended to, unaware of her injured leg. Shostakov goes to stop her from losing her balance, two seconds behind Banner. Natasha shuts her eyes, expecting to crash before she feels his tender arms catch her from the back. Her cheeks turn a bright red when she feels _his_ heartbeat and gentle touch, instantly melting when she realizes she's in _his_ arms.

Bruce can't help but spot her bruises while she's fallen into him, eyes narrowing when she sees a few marks that didn't belong there. _Bruises._ Some practically cut open with a little dried blood. Love-bites or not, they were a little too dark for his liking. Probably given a little rougher then would have been humanely acceptable, even though he disliked the concept of leaving a mark like that on anybody, enemy, lover, or otherwise.

Clint smiles apologetically;

"Nice catch Doc. Sorry Nat."

Natasha keeps her eyes closed, standing up on her own two feet as soon as she can before brushing herself off. Bruce shoves his hands into his pockets, head tilted when he whispers;

"You alright Natasha?"

She nods, unable to look him in the eye with her heart pounding so fast;

"Yes."

Alexei panics, resting a hand on her shoulder to focus her attention back on him;

"Are you alright Tash? Did Cliff hurt you?"

She sighs, "It's _Clint_. And no he did not, we were just playing Al."

He keeps talking, turning her body to face him once he sees Bruce open his mouth. He fixes his eyes on the red-head, going over the top in the hopes Banner would walk away;

"Are you sure you're not hurt?"

She nods, trying to turn around and address the physician despite his holding onto her;

"Al please."

"Your leg didn't twist or anything?"

"Al, I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me."

"You sure baby?"

She sighs, tenderly touching his cheek;

"I'm fine Al, don't worry about me so much. I'm a tough girl."

Bruce keeps his head low with a smirk, walking away from the couple as soon as he realizes she's steady enough on her own two feet, being the first one to jump into Stark's vehicle. Tony climbs in after him, eyes fixed on his facial expression;

"Now what's up?"

Banner shakes his head, eyes fixed straight in front of him;

"Something about Alex doesn't sit right with me. I don't hold anything against that guy but I get this bad vibe when I'm around him."

He smirks;

"It's your imagination."

Bruce shakes his head 'no', "Is it just me or is he extremely domineering?"

"He's a little odd. Why?"

"I just wanted your opinion. Does Natasha look alright to you?"

"She looks fine to me. She's fighting with Clint, giving me her typical 'screw you' look. Why?"

He shakes his head, mouth contorted with his eyes blank. She wasn't 'fine', Bruce knew better then to believe her defensive exterior. If anyone knew about an uncomfortable relationship it was him. Not only through the torment the late Betty Ross put him through, but from his mother and father. Alexei wasn't that bad, but he certainly was not fragile with Banner's beloved 'Spider'. And Bruce had no intention of letting him get any worse if he could help it. The more he thinks about it, the more it seems to make sense; her attitude, the marks on her body, her tone...that wasn't the same Natasha he left a month ago.

Tony shoves his keys inside his car, ready to start the engine and honk his horn to get everyone else's attention. Banner speaks up meekly from the passenger seat, already planning weeks ahead of time before he opens his mouth. If he was going to get to Brooklyn he'd have a few options in public transportation for the short trip, but driving would probably need to be one of those options, just in case there was an emergency;

"Tony? How bad do you think the traffic is right now?"

He shrugs, "Compared to every other day in New York City? It can't be too bad."

"How do you feel about me driving us home?"

Stark lifts his eyebrows, "You? Driving? In the middle of New York City?"

He nods, eyes wide, "I haven't driven in a while but I do have my licence."

Tony unbuckles his own seatbelt, ready to trade places with the doctor;

"I have no problem with that. How's the other guy feeling?"

Bruce rolls his eyes, completely disgusted with his alter ego;

"Fine. I just hit him up with a few tranquilizers to keep him calm."

Tony shakes his head, having some clue why he'd out of nowhere offer to take the wheel and take an interest in driving again.

Maria climbs in the back seat, somewhat startled when she sees Tony in the passenger seat with his iPod out;

"Dr. Banner is driving?"

Steve climbs in back beside the SHIELD agent, "Stark are you sure about this?"

Barton covers his mouth, coughing to muffle his voice, "I trust him, its the people around us that concern me."

Stark smirks, completely relaxed as he melts in his chair;

"He's fine, I trust his judgement. He's got his glasses on."

Thor smiles as if nothing phases him, entertained with Clint's iPhone for the time being. Tony claspes his hands, addressing the physicist beside him;

"Mr. Sulu, you may indulge yourself."

Clint chuckles, "Star Trek reference. Do you understand that one Steve?"

Rogers holds his head, busy praying he gets home in one piece.

. . .

Natasha glances over her shoulder as soon as she can, sighing when she sees the car head towards the highway. Alexei lowers his focus, feeling guilty for keeping her from her friend. He mumbles, arms crossed while he rubs his foot against the ground;

"You ready Tash?"

She nods hesitantly, head low with a half-hearted smirk on her face;

"Whenever you are."

"Agent Romanov!?"

She shudders over the voice of the director. Alexei holds her hand, watching her cringe when she goes to answer him;

"What Fury?"

He sighs, leaving an envelope in her hands;

"I need updated paperwork, where you're living, what's going on-"

She chimes in before he rambles any further, "Yeah, I get it. Thank you."

Alex takes a step forward, "I'll do a few for her."

Fury points a finger in his direction;

"And while you're here, I have a few questions for you as well. Updated information."

Natasha rolls her eyes, "He's with me Fury."

"Oh, well that saves you time."

Alex smirks, resting his head on Natasha's shoulder, "Yes it does."

The director shakes his head, holding out a hand to Shostakov;

"It's nice to have you back."

He lifts his head up, politely shaking Fury's hand. His opposite arm hugs around Natasha's lower back, rubbing her with his thumb;

"It's nice to be back."

Romanoff gives him a sideways glance. She cared about him, but she was starting to wish he'd stop touching her for just five minutes.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Pepper widens her eyes when she sees Tony get out on the passenger side, mouth open when he hugs her;

"Hi baby."

She stutters when she sees Bruce holding the keys;

"You let him drive!?"

Barton snickers as he walks past her;

"Relax Pepper, he did fine."

Maria nods, chiming in behind Clint, "Does better then your husband that's for sure."

She sighs, point to Rogers, "Why is Steve shaking?!"

Stark waves his hand;

"Got himself all worked up, thinking Brucey was going to have road rage or something. So where's my baby girl?"

"In bed."

His eyes widen as if he's completely offended, "Wha?! Why?"

"Darcy played with her all day, she's exhausted the poor thing,' she turns towards Thor when he takes a step to her with a questioning stare, 'Darcy and Jane are out at the grocery store for me."

He smirks, "Thank you Lady Stark."

Tony glances over his shoulder when Bruce taps him to hand over the keys, Stark gives him a nudge;

"You did good buddy, I'm impressed."

He smiles towards Pepper before lowering his head and acknowledging Pepper;

"Thanks Tony."

Pepper whispers until he's out of earshot, "He did alright?"

Stark nods, closing his eyes;

"Pep, the guy drives better than all of us combined...Even with all of his sedatives and tranquilizers."

She rolls her eyes, "No! I meant on the mission; With Natasha around."

Tony covers his mouth when he starts to chuckle;

"Bruce did okay but Hulk took a swing for Alexei and knocked Ivan off his feet."

Pepper huffs out a laugh before feeling extremely guilty over it;

"Oh Tony, that's...funny but it's not."

"Eh, I thought it was hysterical. You should've seen Ivan's face; Priceless."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"_Malyshka_, I have to tell you something."

She sighs, petting her dog with one hand while she holds a book to her nose with the other;

"What is it Papa."

He shrugs, voice changing slightly;

"Can you look at me?"

She rolls her eyes before answering;

"I can hear you Papa, what is it."

He narrows his focus, taking the book from her hand before laying it on the table. She follows his action with her sharp hazel eyes, eyebrows lowered while she waits for him to open his mouth;

"Look at me Natalia, I'm trying to talk to you."

She sighs, giving him a sarcastic stare after she crosses her arms. Her Anatolian Shepherd perks his head up when she stops petting him, staring at her father for making his owner upset;

"What's wrong Ivan."

"Nothing is wrong, I just wanted to tell you that I'm going on an assignment next week. And Alexei is coming with me."

Her face lights up, automatically thinking she'll crash the tower while they're away;

"For how long?"

"Just a few days. But I don't feel safe leaving you alone."

"Well-"

"And I don't want you staying at Tony's place while we're away. I was thinking of hiring a maid or two anyway, maybe a butler, at least this way you wouldn't be home alone."

Natasha tilts her head;

"Papa, I'm a grown woman. I don't need company and I have little Lex with me anyways so it's not like I'd be _alone_."

"He's a dog Natalia."

"I'll be fine."

"I wasn't _asking_, I was _telling_. And Alexei was looking for you. Not sure why you're hiding down here instead of talking with him. And that dog!"

Natasha grits her teeth, ready to snap at him before she thinks better of it. She takes a deep breath, lowering her focus before she stands up;

"Sometimes I need a break Papa. And what about my dog?! He doesn't bother anybody."

"He snarls at me all the time! And he bit Alexei yesterday"

She glances over her shoulder, hugging her book into her chest;

"Because Al was playing rough with him."

He sighs dramatically, jumping back when her dog shows his teeth;

"Just keep him away from me. If he bites me or Alexei one more time he's out of here, I mean it!"

She gently holds her dog by his collar to keep him close;

"Ivan! He's no trouble!"

Ivan shuts his eyes, hardly listening to her;

"Just go put your dog and your book upstairs. Are you cooking tonight?"

Natasha tightens her jaw, mumbling under her breath when she ignores him;

"You know how an oven works."

Alexei calls through the home, voice echoing off the walls when she quickens her pace, eager to hide from him while she quietly dashes up the stairs. Shostakov trails her with his large stride, calling up the stairs seconds before she can turn the corner;

"Tash? You alright?"

She cringes, slowly turning around to address him;

"What's wrong Al?"

"Nothing. You're coming back downstairs to stay with me right?"

Ivan chimes in before Natasha can open her mouth;

"Yes, she's just putting the dog upstairs."

Alexei smiles, "Oh good. So I'll see you in a minute baby."

She leans forward on her banister, book in her fist;

"Al? Al wait- _ugh!"_

She sighs when he walks away, refocusing her attention on the dog who sits at her heels, eyes fixed on hers. Romanoff shakes her head, walking towards her room when he gets up to follow her with his tail wagging. He jumps on her bed when she starts to pace, throwing her book on the desk.

Natasha swears in Russian before slamming her bedroom door shut with mouth open and eyes closed, completely disgusted with her overbearing father and _'deaf' _husband. She holds her head, lump in her throat when her breathing starts to change.

_How could her father talk to her like that?_ That loving man who raised her since before she could talk. Natasha used to think better of him. He was kind and gentle...How could he even think about getting rid of her dog? _He was the only one in the home who still listened to her!_

This wasn't _home, _no matter how hard she tried to make the best of it, she would always feel trapped and uncomfortable. She wondered if it would ever get better. Maybe she used to live like this in the past, but now she knew better. After her life in the Tower with that tender physician, this current hell could hardly compare and what hurt the most was knowing it wasn't going to change again. Her eyes fill, throwing herself face first on her bed when she screams in her pillow out of pure frustration.


	11. On The Street Where You Live

_**A/N: :)**_

_**RFK22: Hope you're feeling better then were before. Always nice to hear from you. **_

_**Nova Fearnewood: haha. She is going to find her muscles soon enough. Natasha will not be putting up with their nonsense forever. At the moment she's in a bit of shock, hoping Alexei can take a silent hint and change his ways. She'll figure him out eventually. :)**_

* * *

She sits on top of her kitchen counter, head thrown back with a glass pressed against her lower lip while the last drop of red wine rolls over her tongue. Natasha straightens up her head to double check, rubbing her thumb over the top. She leans on the heel of her hand with her foot propped on the ledge. She chuckles when she hears her dog whimper, tail wagging while he waits for her to give him attention.

She gives him sympathetic stare, red hair reacting to her movement;

"You wanna run don't you baby?"

He cries, ears pulled back when he tries a second time. His paw finds it's way to her foot just in case she couldn't hear him.

Romanoff smirks, leaving her glass in the sink;

"Want to see if Al's up yet?"

He tilts his head from side to side, trying his best to understand his master. Natasha rolls her eyes, far from drunk but slightly tipsy for 8:00 in the morning when she stands on her own two feet. She yawns when she lifts his leash from off her door knob, heading towards the stairs when she sees him come from around the other side;

"Morning Tash."

She smirks, rubbing her fingers over the dog leash. The Shepherd stays close with his face held up against the leg while he cries to play outdoors. She looks down dropping a hand to scratch behind his ear;

"Good morning Al. Want to go for a run?"

He lifts an eyebrow, dressed for the day while he tugs at his short hair;

"Outdoors?"

She tilts her head, "Yeah. Come on, we haven't taken Lex for a walk in how long...I owe him a run Al, badly. And I want you to come."

He rolls his eyes, planting a kiss on her cheek while his hand rubs her hip. She sighs;

"So is that a 'yes'?"

He sighs, never turning around to make eye contact with her;

"No Tash. I have work to do before my family gets here."

She lifts her eyebrows, lingering by the banister;

"Your family?"

"Yes, mom and dad. They're only staying for one night."

Natasha rests her elbow, chin on her hand;

"They're coming? Today?"

"Yes. And apparently Ivan invested in hired help? They're supposed to be here any minute."

She closes her eyes, slowly walking down the steps while he checks the mail. She contorts her mouth, eyes wide when she tries to get him to smile. He gives her a look. She sighs;

"Al? Are you going to walk with me?"

"No Tash."

"But Al! When's the last time we did something together, just the two of us."

He smirks, giving her a wink, "Last night."

She rolls her eyes, "No, I mean something outdoors. Something fun."

"Last night was fun...Look, Tash, I can't today. I'm sorry."

Natasha crosses her arms, antagonizing when she quotes him;

"You said that yesterday, and the day before. And the day before that-"

"Maybe tomorrow baby. Alright?"

Romanoff flicks her eyes upwards, wide when she pleads;

"Just ten minutes?"

"Your father wants us home Tash."

"Five minutes?"

"Babe, I said 'no'. 'No' means no. Let's try for tomorrow."

"You can't spare five minutes?"

"No Tash, I can't. Don't make a pest of yourself."

She sighs, letting him turn around before she can open her mouth. Natasha drops her arms, sticking her tongue out sarcastically when she knows he can't see her. She looks down when he glances over his shoulder;

"You got quiet."

Natasha throws her head back, when she mumbles;

"You weren't listening anyways-"

Alexei grits his teeth when he hears her, grabbing her arm to stop her from walking off. Her mouth falls open, completely startled when he talks;

"Stop mumbling! You know how I feel about that! And stop giving me an attitude."

She widens her eyes;

"I just-...want to know when you plan on talking to me, spending time with me-"

He sighs, slightly irritated when he pulls her closer;

"We do spend time together."

"But we never talk Al. I want this to work but lately I feel like you don't listen-"

He smirks, not listening to a word she says when he kisses her cheek;

"We'll make it work Tash. Go take your dog upstairs when you clean the guest rooms while Ivan and I interview the new help okay?"

She crosses her arms, "Oh, I'm not a part of this?"

"You said you didn't want any help. Look; after they leave, we'll sit by the fireplace, have a nice glass of Vodka, and we can talk until your heart's content. Okay? Come on babe, you've got to clean anyway before my family gets here."

"Right, the guests you never told me about."

"What? You love my parents."

"That doesn't justify your not telling me sooner-"

He smiles, kissing her mouth before she's finished;

"Sorry. Go inside babe, I'll talk to you later."

Natasha releases a heavy sigh, brushing past him without another word. She rolls her eyes after shutting the door of the guest room behind her. Mumbling under her breath all she wants now that Alexei isn't right next to her. She tosses the pillows from the bed, wishing she didn't love his parents so much. Spiders would have been a perfect welcoming present if they weren't always so sweet.

Romanoff kicks the side of the bed when her phone buzzes inside her pocket. Her fingers fumble with the device, barely able to read the name on the screen when she holds her head. _He's been trying to reach her for long enough..._

Natasha answers, pure disgust in her tone;

"Bruce, if I don't answer, it means I can't talk!"

_"You answered."_

She contorts her mouth, trying to hide her smirk. Her tongue feels numb all of a sudden tone changing slightly;

"But, I can't talk."

_"You're talking now."_

"I- Okay. What do you want."

_"Five minutes."_

Natasha lowers her eyebrows, "You sound funny, like you're outdoors...Where are you?"

_"In Brooklyn someplace, making a house call to some Russian woman."_

"Seriously Dr. Banner."

_"Seriously." _

"Lives in Brooklyn huh? Who is she?"

_"Natasha, I only know one Russian woman. There's an Anatolian Shepherd looking at me through the window and a red-head about one floor up. She's got her back to the window though."_

Her eyes widen, mouth dropping open when she turns to move the curtains from her way. Her eyes shift down to the figure on the side of her house, dark hair, purple button-down...Natasha holds her head when she feels faint, making distant eye contact with that physicist;

"Oh my God Bruce...why-What are you doing here!?"

_"I told you Miss Romanoff, you didn't look right to me."_

"I- _ugh_...If Ivan or Al see you, they will _not_ be happy."

_"I don't care about them, I'm here for you,' _she hears him sigh before she swallows hard, '_You've got something on your mind. I didn't come out here for you to send me home Natasha."_

"I should send you home."

_"But you won't. Can you spare two minutes?"_

Natasha lowers her head, eyes shut tight when she opens her mouth;

"Meet me by the balcony on the side of the house."

She clutches her phone to her chest, smile over her face when she sneaks out of the room, stealthy heading up the stairs when Alexei calls to her;

"Tash? The help just got here, I'm going to run through a quick interview and then I'm free okay babe?"

Romanoff grinds her teeth, "No problem Al, uh...don't rush."

She runs for her room, locking the door behind her. She pauses when she walks past the mirror, quickly checking herself before pushing her way through the doors off her bedroom. Natasha steps onto her balcony with her dog beside her, whimpering the instant he sees the doctor. Romanoff releases a sigh, head tilted slightly when she presses the phone to her ear;

"You're out of your mind. At least you didn't throw rocks at my doors."

He shrugs, head lowered when he brushes his foot against the grass. That lock falls over his eyebrow when he looks back up at her, still talking through the phone to hear her clearly;

"I couldn't find any."

Her head lowers, elbows rested on her barricade. She smirks;

"Ivan probably hid them all."

"I would've rang the bell if your father was a little more loveable."

Romanoff rests her head on her forearm, "Well, Al's practically guarding the front door anyway."

He lowers his eyebrows, free hand shoved in his pockets when he shifts uncomfortably;

"...I- Okay."

She sighs, shaking her head over her own idea;

"You know I could've let you in if you waited a week. Al and Ivan are going on a mission."

Bruce scoffs sarcastically;

"I wouldn't know. You dodged my phone calls for a month Miss Romanoff, I couldn't wait another week."

Natasha lifts her head, nervously checking her nails;

"I know."

He shrugs, smirking when he sees a little more color in her cheeks then he did on the mission;

"Even if you didn't want to 'talk', per say, I can open a text message Natasha."

She huffs out a laugh, "I know."

Banner contorts his mouth, biting at his cheek;

"You're not yourself."

The red-head lifts her head up, petting the shepherd when he cries over not being able to greet the physicist;

"I'm tired."

"I know you better then that."

Natasha huffs out another laugh, tears in her eyes when she shakes her head;

"I know you do."

His facial expression stays genuine, tender and endearing;

"I don't know what you're going through but, I'm here for you Natasha."

She smiles, biting her lip to avoid the lump in her throat. She glances over her shoulder, nervously widening her eyes when she thinks she hears footsteps;

"You should go, before someone sees you. Where did Tony park?"

Bruce huffs out a laugh;

"_Tony_ nothing, I'm by myself. I parked about, one block away."

Natasha widens her hazel-green eyes, focus back on her _Vrach_;

"If Papa sees you...and I have no idea what Alexei would do...get out of here Bruce."

"You don't mean it like that."

She swallows, not aware of how cruel she sounded, "For your own sake please? We'll talk."

He shrugs when he takes a step back;

"Promise me?"

She sighs, stepping to the ide of her balcony to follow him;

"I promise-Call me when you get home please."

Bruce tilts his head sarcastically;

"Will you pick up?"

"If I can't I'll send a text. Be careful."

"You too."

Natasha can barely see his wink from the distance, closing her eyes while she keeps a stern expression. She comes to her knees, sitting back on her heels while her dog lays his head on her lap, whimpering when she stops petting him;

"Stop it Lex,' she changes her voice to mimic her husband, '_Don't_ _make a pest out of yourself_...You never heard _Vrach_ say that to me or cut me off or not listen when I was angry now did you Lex?"

He yawns, wishing she's just pet his head and rub behind his ear. She sighs, content with his 'answer'.

"I get further with his alter ego then I do with Alexei Shostakov-"

"Tash babe, open the door."

Romanoff gets to her feet when she hears him calling for her, taking slower steps just because she can. Natasha swings her arms, taking her sweet time to get there;

"Coming."

"Well, hurry up I don't have all day."

She rolls her eyes, watching his circle around the room;

"Were you talking to someone?"

Romanoff lifts her eyebrows casually;

"Just my dog. Why?"

"No nothing."

He shakes his head 'no', wrapping an arm around her waist;

"You should wear that nice dress I bought you tonight when my family comes."

She scoffs, thinking he's kidding;

"Al it's the most uncomfortable thing-"

"But it looks nice on you. Come on Tash. I like you in it,' he circles around her running his fingers through her hair to pull it back, 'And where your hair up so I can see your neck and upper back. Do yourself up pretty for me."

"Al-"

"Did you meet the maids? They'll help fix you nice if you want. Alisa and Alina, you'll like them they're very nice. And Mr. and Mrs. Karev will be moving in downstairs to help around the house."

"We don't need-"

"Of course we do. Don't question me Tash."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tony nuzzles up close to Pepper, laying his head over her lap whether or not she has a say about it;

"What movie are we watching."

His wife chuckles;

"A musical, oh! My Fair Lady."

Clint talks with his mouth full, popcorn in his hand when Maria tugs the bowl from him;

"Star Trek."

Darcy reaches over, successfully snatching the dish from her;

"The Public Enemy."

Rogers practically jumps from his chair;

"I know what she's talking about!"

She chuckles, aiming her popcorn in Jane's direction. If she could throw it where she wants, it should land right in between hers and Thor's puckered lips. Steve grabs her hand, lowering it quick before she can make her move. Darcy whines, earning a chuckle from the assassin across from them. Clint snaps his fingers instead, reading Lewis without her having to say a word;

"Hey! Thor! Jane! That's enough public smooching for one night."

Jane rolls her eyes, standing up with Thor's hand in hers;

"Oh, fine. We'll go upstairs. Don't want to offend anybody..."

Thor just smiles, shaking his head while she leads him up the stairs.

Stark scoffs from his 'pillow', clearly enjoying Pepper's back rub;

"Alright guys, come on. Pick a movie."

Maria lowers her eyebrows, elbowing Barton;

"Where's the doc?"

Tony mumbles, rubbing at his eyes when he points upwards;

"In the lab. I'd like for him to come down with us but I doubt that's going to happen."

Clint lifts an eyebrow, ready to jump up if he has to;

"Should I keep an eye on him?"

"JARVIS is on it just in case he gets stupid."

Pepper holds her head, chiming in when she feels it's necessary;

"Give him a little space Tony. He knows what he's doing."

Her husband coughs almost sarcastically, talking through a 'cough';

"Yeah, okay Pep. He took the car out for a drive earlier...I'm willing to bet he drove to Brooklyn-Don't say anything to him, he'd kill me."

Darcy rolls her eyes, "Oh please. You all know I'd be the first one to drop him off if he asked. They're 'just friends' these days so what's he worried about?"

Pepper widens her eyes, "How her husband is supposed to feel about that. Obviously."

She drops her mouth open sarcastically;

"So, he'll see Nat's got stronger feelings for someone else, duh! Seriously, if her and Banner were really 'just friends' she'd be over here laughing with the rest of us. The fact that they feel a need to sneak a visit proves there's still a spark between them."

Clint huffs out a laugh, "That's not a spark Darcy, that's a forest fire. You saw them on the mission."

Steve crosses his arms, "Who didn't?"

Tony shuts his eyes, practically growling under his breath, "Ivan."

The archer literally bites his tongue, reaching for the remote when he feels his blood boiling just over the name;

"Alright, I'm putting on Star Trek. Pass the popcorn Maria."

. . . . . . . .

'_Tatyanna & Timur Shostakov. u remember them i invited them to our wedding.'_

Bruce slides his glasses back up his nose after reading her message, thumb ready to reply when he texts her back;

'_Yes. They seem nice. Why aren't you visiting with them?'_

He tugs at his hair, analyzing a diagram while he waits for her to respond. His phone buzzes just as he's about to write up an equation. The doctor naturally chooses to read her words over doing his job;

_'Cus theyre busy w/ their son right now. they havent seen Al in years. mom's crying shes so happy.'_

He smirks, unaware of the fact they'd been texting for hours, on and off since he got home from Brooklyn. Their conversation was light-hearted but consistent. Anytime he didn't reply as quick as she would've liked, Natasha would send another message not ready to let him go. Banner releases a sigh, deleting at least two possible answers before he's forced to open another one from her. He huffs out a laugh, knowing he's taken too long for her liking;

_'Lex is licking my feet. for the record, he practically jumped off the balcony wen he saw u earlier. i think he misses you. hold on al's calling me.'_

Bruce releases a sigh, holding his head with the heel of his hand. He regrets his message the instant he sends it, wishing he gave it a little more thought;

_'Now what does he want from you? He sounds like a leech.' _

_'well u dont know him.'_

He runs warm over her answer, wishing he wasn't so quick to answer her;

_'I'm sorry that was inappropriate.'_

Bruce rolls his eyes over her reply, more for his own mistake then her answer;

_'yeah it was. '_

_'I didn't mean it like that Natasha.'_

_'hes a kind, gentle, passionate person.'_

_'Not to pry or anything but I feel like you're afraid to tell me otherwise. You used to lie a lot better then that Miss Romanoff.' _

He shakes his head, getting up to clean up Tony's remains in the lab when she doesn't answer as quickly as she has been. All he can think of are her bruises, eager to sit her down and get the honest truth out of her if she'd stop being so defensive and tight-lipped.

He tosses his stack of papers in the trash, swiping the screen on the computer monitor before grabbing his phone and leaving the lab. His head hurts when he locks himself in his bedroom, curling up when he hits the bed. His eyes stay open, filling slightly over worry for his little 'Spider.'

He just hoped she was truly safe and happy like she made herself sound, even if he knew better.

. . . . . . . . . .

"Natalia? Why are you doing the dishes? This is why we have hired help."

She sighs, systematically going through the motions as if she's a machine. She mumbles, eyes vague when she answers her father;

"I feel like it."

He makes a face when she feeds her shepherd left over table scraps. Ivan leans his back against the counter, staring her down until her eyes shift up uncomfortably, wondering why he looks the way he does. Natasha swallows hard, upper cheeks flushing a light pink;

"What's wrong Papa?"

He smirks, "I was about to ask you the same thing."

She lowers her head, going back to her work;

"I'm fine."

He circles her, running a hand through her pulled back hair;

"You look nice this evening."

She freezes, slightly uncomfortable with his contact;

"Thanks Papa."

He kisses her cheek before letting her go, gradually making his way into their living area. She glances over her shoulder, turning the sink off when she reaches for a towel to dry her utensils. Natasha rolls her eyes when she hears her father at the piano, eager to entertain their guests with his skills.

She feels her muscles tense, not appreciating his song choice in the slightest. It never used to bother her before, but tonight it hurt to listen to 'All I Ask Of You', swallowing hard when she thinks about that tender physicist back in Stark Tower. The way she hummed in her dancing studio, his gentle arms wrapped around her while he whispered to her in the moonlight.

-_She smiled then..._

Her heart aches at the thought, eyes closing while she keeps her lips tightly pressed together. It was just a song, and she had other things to think about. Natasha swallows hard, eager to finish the dishes and get out of that uncomfortable dress she threw on at Alexei's request. She was just mad he never said 'thank you' all evening. Probably not even noticing she did her hair up like he asked her to...

"Hi Tash."

Natasha releases a sigh when he kisses her cheek, hands snaking around the front of her waist;

"Come sit down with us babe."

She shuts her eyes, leaning into his taller build;

"Al, I'm tired-"

"You want to go to bed babe?"

She nods while he runs his fingers down her neck, nose trailing down to her shoulder;

"No, I want to go to sleep."

He shrugs, "I know. We can go if you want."

"But don't you want to visit with your parents?"

He scoops her up into his arms, lifting her off her feet when she wraps her arms around is neck in pure shock;

"Al!"

He smirks, huffing out a laugh before kissing her cheek, "I've got you baby."

His mother smiles when she walks into the kitchen eyes lit up over the smile on her son's face;

"Aw. Are you going to bed Alex?"

He nods, "Yep. Goodnight mom. Goodnight father."

Tatyanna tilts her head, eyebrows lowered over Natasha's smirk, too fake to even look real;

"Goodnight Natalie."

"Goodnight mama Taty."

Timur glances away from Ivan as the couple walk by, mouth contorted while Ivan blabs pointlessly on in his other ear. He waves to his son, worried for his daughter-in-law when he sees the look on her face.

. . . . . . . . . . .

Romanoff keeps her eyes closed working hard to pretend she's fast asleep. She breathes a little easier when she's certain Alexei is asleep, glancing over towards the clock on her night-stand. She's tired, but part of her wishes it was morning already, knowing she wasn't going to sleep tonight. And heaven forbid she woke up her husband, he'd probably start up all over again with his kissing and touching begging her for round three despite her pleading for the night off from the beginning.

Natasha grits her teeth, jumping when she feels him move behind her. She mouths under her breath, clutching her blanket until she's white-knuckled;

_'Don't wake up, don't wake up. Please don't wake up...'_

She's shocked when she feels him release her hip, feeling an almost welcoming breeze on her back when he rolls over to his other side. She releases an exhale as if she can breathe again, free from suffocation.

Natasha glances towards the doors leading out to her balcony, focus shifting to her phone when she feels a pain in her chest. She sighs, desperate just to hear his voice. One minute would be enough.

She glances over her shoulder, stealthy removing herself from the bed before she starts to tip-toe from the room. She cringes when her husband mumbles;

"Where are you going."

She whispers, "Downstairs to get water. I'll be right back."

Natasha slips into the kitchen, ensuring both her father's and Alexei's parents have their doors closed before she starts to pace, filling a glass with whatever liquor was left on the counter from the night before. She swallows it in a matter of seconds, throat burning when she tosses the empty glass into the sink. The live-in help would take care of it in the morning for all she cared.

There's a lump in her throat while she walks towards the living space, staring at the piano in front of her like it's done something offensive. Natasha grits her teeth when she takes up the sheet music left on the top, tearing it right down the middle before crumpling it up to throw it into their fireplace. She tosses a log over the papers, just to to ensure it would be completely burned the next time Alexei started one of his dumb fires she hated so much.

Natasha throws her hands over her face, image of _his _perfect brown eyes burning in the back of her mind. She takes a deep breath, trying hard to calm her emotions when she reaches for her phone.

She felt bad for bothering him at this hour, but she figured he probably wasn't sleeping either. Probably up working on some damn project or reading up on some theory until his vision was swarming.

Natasha holds her head, taking one foot in front of the other. She tugs on that navy blue button-down she 'stole' from him, not even aware she had thrown it on to sleep in. She falls onto the coach behind her, hiding her face in the collar while she waits for him to answer.

Romanoff bites her lip when she hears a groggy voice on the other end, one she'd recognize no matter what;

_"Natasha?"_

She can't help but smile inside, "Hi Bruce."

There's a brief pause before he responds, seemingly a little more awake then his inital answer;

_"What's wrong Miss Romanoff?"_

She scoffs, glancing at her nails before she whispers;

"What? Something has to be wrong for me to call a friend?"

_"At 2:00 in morning?"_

Natasha lowers her head, knees glued together uncomfortably;

"I just wanted to talk to you."

_"You're not mad at me anymore?"_

She huffs out a laugh, "I was never mad at you Bruce."

_"Good to hear."_

"Thanks...for stopping by earlier."

_"Um...yeah. Anytime."_

She smiles, running a hand through her hair;

"Well. Thank you."

_"You're welcome Natasha."_

Romanoff lowers her head, biting at her lip. She likes hearing her prefered name, not sure the last time she's heard it as much as she does when Bruce talks to her;

"I uh, I hope I can see you again, soon."

_"Me too...we will. You can always come by the tower."_

She nods, facial expression changing slightly;

"I know. I um. I miss everyone."

_"It's, different without you around."_

She opens her mouth to answer him, closing her jaw when he feels a lump in her throat just over his words. Natasha whispers after taking a deep breath;

"How's Antonia?"

. . . . . . .

Ivan lingers behind the wall, eyes narrowing by the minute on the red-head on the coach with the phone pressed against her ear. Whispering or not he could hear every word, blood boiling every time he hears the name of the physicist. He snarls whenever she smiles, eventually too disgusted to stand there and listen to her any longer then necessary.

He clenches his teeth, clenching and unclenching a fist when he starts to storm back to his room. He stumbles, causing a small glass piece to fall from the desk beside him.

Natasha jumps from inside the living room, frantic to end her phone call with her Vrach;

"Bruce I've got to go."

She runs for the hallway, covering her mouth when her father whips his head around to face her;

"Why are you up at this hour?"

Her cheeks turn a bright red, "I couldn't sleep."

He takes a step forward, taking a deep breath before he hears Alexei start to come down the stairs. He lowers his eyebrows, startled when he sees Ivan forcing Natasha to back up into the wall;

"What is going on?!"

Petrovich grinds his teeth, grabbing her wrist to steal her phone from her;

"Are you going to tell him Natalia or do I have to?"

Alexei crosses his arms, seemingly already angry with the two of them;

"Tell me what?!"

She snarls, stealing her phone back from her father;

"Nothing! It's none of your business!"

Ivan steps forward, "Don't snap at me!"

Alexei shakes his head, grabbing her by the wrist before he addresses Ivan;

"I'll handle this you just go to bed and leave her alone!"

She lowers her head, growling in the back of her throat. He tugs her chin up, forcing her to look him in the eye;

"What is wrong with you?! You never used to cause me this much trouble. It's like you're constantly fighting me. Are you trying to be a rebel?!"

She drops her mouth open, "Maybe things would be a little easier if you actually listened to me instead of always telling me what do-!"

"I don't make you do anything!"

"Yes you do! I know you don't mean it but sometimes you can be so cruel with what you say and how you treat me! It's like you don't even value my opinion half the time-!"

"You make me sound like I'm the problem when you're the one sneaking around late and night-"

"I couldn't sleep!"

He sighs, crossing his arms when he nods towards her phone;

"Who were you talking to."

She swallows, "No one."

"Answer the question, it's not that complicated."

"Just drop it Al, please-"

"I can't just drop it!, ' she growls when he grabs her arm, searching for her recent calls, 'Bruce Banner? Are you kidding me?!"

"Al, I don't feel well! I called him for help!"

She freezes when his eyes soften, staring her down with a little less disdain;

"You're lying to me."

Her lip quivers, shaking her head 'no'. She didn't consider stretching the truth to be a lie;

"I wouldn't lie to you Al."

He sighs, shaking his head when he looks her over, running a finger over a recent bruise he left on her neck not two hours ago;

"Then why didn't you just say so?"

She shrugs, not appreciating his rough fingers over her open cuts and bruises;

"I don't know."

Alexei rolls his eyes, pulling her into a warm embrace;

"I didn't mean to yell at you Tash. But you can't blame me for this."

She closes her eyes, not sure of the last time he's hugged her like this;

"It's okay."

He takes up her hand, glancing at the clock;

"Are you coming back to bed now? It's getting late baby. And you need sleep. That's probably why you don't feel good."

Natasha closes her eyes, letting him talk and wrap his arm around her waist for the hundredth time. If it kept him happy and relatively quiet, she'd put up with it. Though she couldn't help but perform a mental countdown, eager for her husband and father to go about their assignment and give her a few days of peace.

She practically growls when they curl up into the bed, feeling him snuggle up as close as he can without being on top of her and she can't stand it.


	12. This I Promise You

**_A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing. :) _**

**_Useless info you don't have to read: _**_Parents are at it again, trying to set me up with strange guys. I kid you not, one of these boys writes me the other day with this criptic instant message. I AM COPYING AND PASTING FYI;_

_The idiot: 'Just so you know, you could be pregnant before the wedding. hehe x'_

_Me: 'What?! Where are you getting this idea from and why are you talking to me like this? Are you serious?'_

_The idiot: 'Whats wrong? I am serious let's go for it.'_

_Me: 'We never talked about dating let alone marriage and you're already talking about making me pregnant. Do you realize how stupid you sound?!'_

_The idiot: 'What? You don't want kids?'_

_Me: 'I really don't appreciate you talking to me like this.'_

_The idiot: 'I dont care I'm still marrying you. x'_

_^ Let him try and he'll lose a body part! Guys, I am ready to drown myself. These are the kind of morons my mother is making me talk to and setting me up with. I swear if this guy lays a hand on me, he will lose it. And you wonder where I get some of my Alexei inspiration from. Only, I don't currently have a Bruce Banner I can call 2:00 in the morning to vent with..._

* * *

**_RFK22: lol I know right. thanks for leaving a review. _**

**_Nova Fearnewood: Yes she will. You're like, two steps ahead of me it's the funniest thing to read your comments. :)_**

**_ecotiger: Yaye! You're all caught up. Of course she'll stand up for herself. Natasha's no push over, for too long anyways. Thanks for reviewing! :)_**

**_BumbleBay: lol. Ivan and Alexei are complete slimes. Welcome back by the way. I'm so excited that your reading the third installment. :D_**

* * *

Alexei breathes a heavy sigh, tired of watching a non-expressive red-head making the bed on her own time. He smirks, leaning on his duffel bag from the opposite end. He rests his head on his forearms, eyes glued on her almost as if he's begging her to look up.

Natasha catches him staring, slightly defensive when she opens her mouth;

"Can I help you."

He huffs out a laugh, tugging at his short light brown hair;

"Well, you're the one who complains we don't talk enough."

She keeps her head low, counting down the hours until he has to leave. Alexei drops his arms, zipping up his bag before walking around to the other end to be with her. She sighs when he sits the blanket she just tucked in, laying his hands over hers;

"Come on Tash, talk to me. I've got an hour before I leave."

Natasha pulls her hands out from under his, smiling to be polite before she tries to stealthy slip away from him;

"I know."

He shakes his head, crossing his arms when she runs to the bathroom. She stands in front of her mirror, closing her eyes when she sees him sneak up behind her. Romanoff takes a deep breath when she reminds herself he'll be gone in exactly 60 minutes...she can survive. Hell she's Black Widow, she's dealt with a lot worse than a dominating spouse.

Alexei turns her cheek, opposite hand over the front of her hip while his fingers trail down her neck. He brushes her cheek with his thumb, hands slipping over her fragile features. She lowers her head, tugging at his much stronger hand;

"Al, please."

He tilts his head, wondering what do with her;

"Why are you so quiet lately? You hardly say anything since last night. And you never smile, did I do something wrong baby? I know you'd tell me if I did."

She looks up at him, mouth open slightly. When she looks at his eyes, she can't bring herself to confess her disliking of his constant physical contact, 'deaf' ears, and short temper. It was just last night when he yelled at her again, angry she didn't do what he told her to do. Heaven forbid his laundry basket was overflowing or the maid burned his dinner. Natasha was quick to stand up for poor Alisa, not appreciating the way he yelled at the young 12-year-old girl or the rest of her family for that matter. And she told him so, throwing her hands on the table when she went off in Russian to tell him to stop. He lifted a hand to her, turning around to punch a hole in the wall to avoid striking her cheek. Natasha knew she was lucky and that it was only a matter of time before he lashed out at her and purposely struck her in all his rage. That would be the day, though she wasn't one hundred percent sure of how she'd react to it.

Romanoff still tried to find the good in the man she currently called her husband, looking for his tender qualities and gentle heart. She didn't think he knew what he was doing half the time, probably bitter about some past experience in Russia after the 'accident', events he still refused to tell her about.

Natasha lays her head against his chest, trying hard to listen for a heartbeat. She sighs when she finds it. Something still didn't feel right, when she listened all she could hear was a cold thump which was far from consoling and comforting to her like she was hoping it would be.

Alexei kisses her cheek, hugging her close;

"Will you miss me Tash?"

She glances over her shoulder, knowing she doesn't have an honest answer. So she closes her eyes and kisses him. He smirks half-way through her act of affection, knowing it's one of the few times she's done anything like this on her own. He could count on one hand how many times she's hugged him of her own will.

Natasha knows it's only stroking at his ego, not even caring when she remembers he'll be gone in just a few minutes, leaving her free to walk her dog, call her friends, read, and where those baggy sweatpants she keeps in the bottom drawer without being told she can't.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ivan snarls, hardly looking up from his paper when he begrudgingly gets up from the table. Petrovich rolls his eyes when he hears a gentle knock at the door. He mumbles to the younger of the new maids no less, busy with his luggage when he hears another knock;

"Get the door Alisa!"

The young girl scrambles, feet running as fast they can carry her to answer the door. She cracks it open, speaking with her thick Russian accent;

"Hello Sir, can I help you?"

The dark-haired man in front of her gives her a smile, trying to calm her down from the tense state only Bruce Banner would pick up from a mile away. He lowers his eyebrows, not sure why someone that age would even be told to open the door;

"Good morning Miss. Is um, Miss Romanoff home?"

Alisa smiles, feeling a little more comfortable when she opens the door a little wider;

"She is would you like to speak to her?"

Bruce shifts a little, hand wrapped around the back of his neck while he considers bothering Ivan just a bit;

"If she's not too busy. How is she?"

"She's alright. I'll be right back, let me get her for you."

"Actually, is her father around? I'm, really here for Ivan Petrovich."

"Oh. /He is. I can get him for you if you'd like."

"Please. That would be great."

"Of course. Would you like to come in? You can wait in the hall."

He considers the offer, figuring it's best to talk to either of them outside in public view. Just in case something went wrong, he'd have witnesses.

"I'll, wait out here that's fine. Thank you."

He shifts uncomfortably, trying his best to stay calm despite his heart pounding twice as fast. He sighs when he sees Ivan slowly make his way to the door, obviously angry when he snaps at the physicist, slamming the door shut behind him once he steps outside;

"Make it brief Banner."

Bruce lowers his eyebrows, voice changing slightly;

"Why'd you do it?"

Ivan smirks unknowingly, loving himself for his devious maneuver;

"Do what."

"Filed a report claiming I've been working illegally-"

"You don't have a licence in medicine and therefore it's illegal for you to be practicing."

Bruce releases a heavy sigh, trying hard to stay calm. He rubs the side of his face, completely exhausted from a lack of sleep and excessive worry;

"Mr. Petrovich, it's not like I opened up a clinic, I don't make a dime off of what I do; I hardly ever have unless someone felt like being generous! I do it for the team and for-"

"What you've been doing is illegal and there's nothing inaccurate about the report I filed."

Banner grits his teeth when Ivan turns his back to the doctor ready to end the conversation before Bruce pushes in front of him, guarding the door with his back;

"Mr. Petrovich you can't accuse me for jumping in and caring for minor injuries-"

He snarls, "Stitches and drug dealing doesn't fall into the category of a minor injury!"

"Giving someone a pain killer is not drug dealing! Sir, I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't go to school to learn medicine for four years! I think I know enough to perform a quick patch up job-!"

"Where's your licence?"

"I don't have it Petrovich, I quit before-"

"-And switched your major, I've read your file I know. You chose to take after your father instead of going down your own path, I'm aware."

Bruce shuts his eyes, knowing Ivan is still purposely trying to push him to the limit;

"I chose a field Brian Banner wouldn't even read about let alone work with!"

"Scared stiff of nuclear physics I know. That's what caused his son to be so inhumane. Forget the radiation-"

The physicist swallows the insult, working hard to turn the other cheek no matter how badly he's dying to throw that Russian to the ground. He snarls, knowing Ivan had to have already been in a bad mood before he showed up;

"Is this how you talk to Natasha? No wonder she's such a mess. Dealing with you and whatever Alexei puts her through-"

Petrovich scoffs coldly, physically moving him away from the door in an rough movement;

"She's safer here then she would be if she was still with you! You just worry about yourself and keeping your sorry little ass out of prison!"

"Mr. Petrovich-!"

"We're done here."

"Wait, just wait!"

"Get off my property."

Bruce widens his eyes taking a step forward before Ivan lays his hands on his shoulders, successfully pushing him away;

"Unless you're looking for more trouble, I suggest you stay away from this family. Call Natalia and I'll break your arm. Come knocking on this door and I'll shoot you; Hulk or not. And I don't think you'd want more blood on your hands no matter how badly you hate me right now."

"Wait!"

He grinds his teeth, eyes narrow when he charges for the Russian. He growls, tugging at his curls when he gets the door slammed in his face. He growls, turning around to avoid breaking the door and tearing him to ribbons. He mumbles under his breath, slamming the car door shut once he's inside.

Bruce throws his head back, making noises in the back of his throat when he hears his phone buzzing hysterically. He glances at the name, tossing it back into the passenger seat when he realizes it's just Tony. Bruce knew he owed him an explanation but now certainly wasn't the time.

He lifts the keys, ready to start up the car before he sees that angry Russian from a distance, watching him load up his own car as if he's about to leave. Bruce lifts his eyebrows, debating on waiting an extra few minutes if it meant seeing Natasha without Ivan's big mouth around to tell him not to. He drops the keys, sitting back with a hand caught in his thick chocolate curls when he decides to give it 10 minutes.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"You behave Tash. I'll be back soon. Alright?"

She nods, smirking when he kisses her cheek, hands and arms occupied with his bag. He tilts his head, pushing his nose under hers to get her to look up so he could kiss her. She waits by the door, waving politely when both he and her father finally make their way to the car.

Natasha breathes a heavy sigh of relief as the vehicle drives off. She leans her head into the closed door, enjoying the calm that seems to surround her without Alexei around. Her dog circles around her legs, leash in his mouth when he whimpers.

She contorts her mouth, hands thrown over her hips;

"Alright Lex, come on. But it's going to be a quick run okay?"

Natasha feels her heart drop when she hears Mr. Karev snicker from the kitchen, wiping down the table;

"Mr. Ivan Petrovich told me to keep you in the house Mrs. Shostakova. You're not going anywhere."

She bites her cheek, rolling her eyes when she makes her way into the kitchen. Her butler can't help but notice how she already seems different, much more expressive and not afraid to open her mouth;

"Oh come on. I'll give you an extra $50 a day if you keep your mouth shut and let me do whatever the hell I want."

He scoffs, "Your father tripled my price for this week. My family and I need this job, sorry ma'am."

She crosses her arms, "And babysitting a grown woman is part of the package?"

"According to Mr. Petrovich."

Natasha lowers her focus mumbling under her breath with a determination to do whatever she wants regardless. She'd been waiting for this week for too long to be told to stay locked up in her 'cage';

"_Poshyel k chyertu_."

He smirks over her swear, knowing she's beyond frustrated with her current situation;

"I have never seen you like this before Mrs. Shostakova. Of course, I'm still trying to get to know you all. But, why don't you open your mouth more often when you see things you don't like."

She rolls her eyes, not appreciating his nosey comment;

"Just do your job and mind your own business."

Natasha cringes when one of his daughters jumps in front of her;

"Oh! I'm sorry Miss Natasha. Please forgive me."

The red-head smirks, "You don't have to walk on egg shells around me Alisa, I don't bite okay?"

She smiles, "Oh, you're very kind. Um, there was a man here for Mr. Petrovich. He asked for you."

Natasha makes eye contact with the young girl, mind racing;

"Banner? Bruce Banner?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, he didn't tell me his name."

"Dark hair?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Brown eyes? A few inches taller than me?"

"Well, I don't know about his eyes but he could've been a little taller than you."

Mr. Karev chimes in, towel in his hand;

"The one Ivan had a quarrel with Ali?"

She nods, "Yes. He is a friend of yours Miss Natasha?"

Natasha rolls her tongue over her cheek, mumbling under her breath;

"Then that's him. Yes Alisa he's a friend of mine."

"Can I do anything else for you Miss Natasha?"

She shakes her head when she heads for the stairs;

"No,' she freezes, turning around to face her, 'Actually...Come with me."

Alisa follows her up the stairs eyes wide while she listens to her request;

"How good are you at distracting your father?"

"What for Miss Natasha?"

She smirks, "Quite frankly I want out. But Ivan's been paying your father to keep me in while he's away."

"Mr. Petrovich can be intimidating. I wouldn't want to get on his bad side."

"Me neither. But I'll be back before tonight I promise. I just need someone to distract your father while I either dash out the front door like a human being or jump from the balcony-"

"Miss Natasha! You'd break your neck!"

Romanoff huffs out a laugh, "I've done a lot worse."

"Worse than jumping off a balcony?!"

"You have no idea what I do for a living. So can you do that for me? Please? I'll double your pay check. What does Ivan pay you an hour?"

She shrugs, "Not much. My sister and I get minimum wage."

Natasha rolls her eyes, searching her room for her wallet;

"And then you get treated like trash by Alexei. Just so you know I had no say on any of this. I'm not allowed to talk...Anyway, if you can distract your father just for 10 minutes I can get out of here. And I'll be back later tonight I swear. Just keep it on the low, just between the two of us alright?"

She nods, eager for a little excitement, "Of course Miss Natasha."

Romanoff smirks, handing the girl a hundred-dollar bill;

"Here, split it with your sister. I'll talk to my Ivan about giving you two a raise or something. I mean you put up with Alexei and all his...Where's your mom?"

"Cleaning the living room. But after we're done cleaning, Dad is taking her out someplace for dinner so you shouldn't have a problem, I'll make sure to cover you so Daddy doesn't even have to know you left. And we'll watch Alex, your dog I mean."

"Thanks Alisa."

She smiles, "You're welcome Miss Natasha."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"You're awful quiet."

Ivan chuckles, hardly looking up from his papers and cell phone. Alexei rolls his tongue over the room of his mouth, shifting his glance between Petrovich and the road in front of him;

"Well come on aren't you going to tell me? What are you laughing at?"

Petrovich slowly lowers his 'weapon', childish grin spread over his face;

"Keep a secret?"

Alexei lowers his eyebrows, confused by his odd nature, "Yes."

"I'm blackmailing the doc. Fury's giving me information, he has no clue what I'm doing with it."

Shostakov holds his head, holding the wheel with his opposite hand;

"You know I'm really sick of hearing his name."

Ivan growls, disgusted with the man himself;

"Well by the time I'm finished with him you'll never have to worry about that again."

Alexei shakes his head, tone changing slightly;

"No, I just don't understand why she can't give it up."

"Who?"

"Tash. She doesn't shut up about him. I mean, Ivan for heaven sakes, if she has a nightmare, she calls for him in her sleep. Anytime she's uncomfortable.."

"He'll be gone soon, not to worry."

Shostakov leans forward, checking his GPS to double-check his route;

"I'm thinking about moving to Russia, like you suggested earlier."

"Are you going to start listening to me a bit more carefully? You're like a son to me Al, and I want to see you and Natalia happy."

He sighs, "I am but she's not and I don't know why. There's something wrong with her Ivan. And then she turns around and makes me look like the bad guy."

"What does she whine about?"

"How I don't listen, and then she pouts thinking I'm going to bend and give her what she wants."

Ivan crosses his arms, "I raised her to be a submissive, polite young lady. You just tell her whose boss and don't let her get away with anything. I hate to say it, but she's a fighter and sometimes you're going to have to fight back to keep her in line."

"I mean, I don't compromise I stick to my guns and force her to give up. I just don't like how she does things behind my back and I have no idea how to control it. She's a beautiful girl and I want her but she's got these annoying habits. Like calling Banner a few nights ago, what was that? And she drinks too much. I'm tired of smelling it on her every single night. She pretends to sleep the instant she hits the covers so I won't climb on her... Ivan doesn't she want kids?"

He shrugs, "I don't know."

"You know she's supposedly infertile right?"

"I think you've told me."

Alexei lifts his eyebrows, hand back on his head after he makes a turn;

"Well I made her start taking pills for it and it's doing nothing.I found a treatment I want her to try but she hasn't even made an attempt to give it a whirl. She's so busy playing with the dog-"

Ivan throws his head back, "Oh that damn dog! He's got to go."

Alexei releases a heavy sigh, feeling slightly guilty;

"Well we can't take everything away from her. She loves that thing-"

"Banner gave it to her. I'll drop it off out the pound if you take her for a night out. She won't miss it."

"I'll pay for a lethal injection if you take it to the vet."

Ivan snickers coldly, "Now you're talking."

He smirks over the laugh, breathing another sigh;

"So, I'm looking into surgery for her if the treatment doesn't work. I want kids, before we get any older. And I know she does too. She'd be a good mom don't you think?"

"Sure."

"Any other ideas?"

"Have you considered adoption?"

Alexei scoffs coldly, honestly thinking it's a joke;

"No. I want my own with Tash. And when I want something, I make it happen. You know that."

He nods, swiping his phone while he goes about his criminal activity;

"Sure. Just don't compromise my daughter's safety in the process."

"No, of course not."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Romanoff turns her car off in a haze. Eyes fixed straight ahead of her when she takes a deep breath. She whips out her phone, eager to send Alisa a 'thank you' and let her know she's at her destination, just like the little girl had requested her to do.

She climbs out of her vehicle taking in the fresh air like she hasn't been able to breathe in years. Natasha takes a step forward, walking up to the place she used to call her home. She smirks, digging in her pocket for the key she never returned to Tony Stark.

Natasha opens the door, smile spread over her face when she heads for the elevator, using JARVIS just because she can, asking for the floor where she used to have her bedroom. Her fingers trail over the immaculate keypads, smirking when she hears the Artificial Intelligence respond to her;

_"It is nice to have you visit Miss Romanoff."_

She scoffs, "It's nice to be here."

Natasha steps out onto her floor, almost teary-eyed while she paces through the hall. With her eyes closed and her arms gently swaying, she inhales that scent of random chemicals that tends to linger every time Tony resets a wire or tries something new for his models and touch screen computers. She leans her head against the door frame when she glances in her empty room

Natasha bites at her lip, tip-toeing her way down the hall to the one that belongs to her precious _Vrach. _She's hesitant to look inside, God-forbid he's inside. She breathes easier when she sees his living space is currently vacant, fearless stepping in while she looks through his stuff left out on the desk. Natasha huffs out a laugh, when she sees his '100 Reasons', eyes still trailing around his room.

She shakes her head over his open books, glancing at his reading material. She wasn't so surprised over the one on physics or nuclear chemicals, but slightly worried about the one dealing with abuse. She feels her stomach twisting, hoping he was alright. She knew Bruce Banner never talked about what he went through and she still didn't know half the stuff his father or Betty Ross said or did to him. Natasha covers her mouth, lump in her throat over swarming guilt. She should've contact him sooner, praying he wasn't too far gone at this point.

Her fingers shove the books back into the exact places she found them, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. She smirks, tugging gently over the blanket on his bed. Natasha can't help but snatch up his pillow, hugging it closer to her. Her heart hurts just over breathing in his gentle cologne, wishing she could always feel as safe as she felt whenever he was with her.

She falls backward, curling up while she squeezes it a little tighter. She had no idea how much she missed him, still refusing to admit it to herself. Natasha sits up, leaving his pillow on her lap while she opens his top drawer. He always kept his most important possession in there, items that were frequently taken out, used or looked at.

Natasha swallows hard when she sees a picture from their wedding left on the top of his small stack, silver wedding band rolling to the front of the drawer. Her hazel-green eyes trail down the center, loving him for the gentle way he kissed her cheek in that photograph. He looked calm so happy to be with her. She tries to swallow a lump in her throat, seeing her face perfectly in that photograph. She was laughing, huge smile over her face while he tickled her side.

Romanoff slams it closed, eyes shutting the instant her chest starts to ache over the memory. She trembles, laying his pillow back where she found it before getting up to use the small mirror in his bathroom. Her eyelids were darker now then they were then, clearly suffering from a lack of sleep. She lifts her chin up to get a better look at the bruises on her neck, running her finger over one in particular.

Natasha jumps when she hears footsteps, dashing towards the door. A smile spreads over her face when she sees light blue eyes shoot back towards hers;

"Nat!"

She jumps into his arms;

"Clint!"

He chuckles, not sure he's ever received a greeting quite like this from his friend;

"What are you doing here?"

She shrugs, pulling away from his embrace, "Just visiting. Where's Maria?"

"In her room. We're heading out together in a few minutes...Oh my God it's weird to see you standing here. We miss you."

"I miss everyone. So what are you up to these days?"

"Well, right now I'm getting something for Antonia."

He smirks, heading towards Stark's bedroom half-expecting her to follow him. Natasha takes the hint walking up the stairs behind him;

"Where is that baby?"

He looks back at her;

"With your _Vrach_...actually, Pepper has her now."

She rolls her eyes, slowly losing her smile;

"How's he doing Barton? Honestly."

He opens his mouth, closing it when he looks at her with softer eyes;

"Your precious Doctor? You want honesty?"

She nods, waiting for him to continue;

"Your buddy hides, in his room, in his lab, behind Antonia, behind his books. No one can get anything serious out of him...You'll have to ask Tony for the particulars. He still manages to get the furthest with him these days and that's not even saying much."

Natasha lowers her head, heart beating twice as fast for his sake. Barton shrugs;

"You kept him upright Nat, you know that. Once you left he crumbled."

She looks at her nails, breathing a heavy sigh, "Where is he Clint."

"In the lab. Are you going to talk to him?"

"I- I should right? Just, like a friend."

Clint looks her up and down, as if to say 'whatever';

"Yeah, sure."

"Because there's nothing between us anymore so, it's not like I have to be nervous or anything, right?"

"Yeah sure."

"It's not like we still have feelings for each other."

The archer lifts his eyebrows, trying not to openly disagree with her;

"Okay..."

She nods, already headed for the hallway when she mumbles;

"Thank you."

Clint shakes his head, digging through Antonia's tiny drawer;

_"Come on Nat, when are you going to wake up?"_

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Her head stays low, arms swinging gently forward and back. Natasha takes a deep breath when he lays a hand on the doorknob, not sure if she should knock or just walk in. Romanoff scoffs at the idea of knocking, rolling her eyes before she invites herself into his workspace.

Her eyes shift around, inhaling a fresh scent of chemicals. She holds her arms behind he back, spotting that dejected practitioner in his little corner. Bruce was clearly too busy to turn around, probably not even hearing the door open based on the way she opened and closed it so skillfully. Natasha tip-toes forward, sighing behind his back when she crosses her arms;

"You know, there are a lot less stressful hobbies you could be occupying your time with. And breathing in all these chemicals all the time cannot be healthy."

He smirks just over hearing her voice, refusing to turn around at the moment. He takes off his glasses before taking a deep breath to fix a lump in his throat before he finally turns to look at her;

"I honestly was not expecting you."

She shrugs, shifting her weight and smiling nervously;

"I uh, I heard you had a quarrel with Ivan earlier and I just wanted to...stop by and make sure, you were okay."

He looks down, seemingly in a haze when he stacks his papers, "I've had worse."

"What was it about?"

"Miss Romanoff, I don't want to talk about it."

Natasha brushes a stray hair behind her ear, swallowing hard;

"Are you busy?"

He gives her a look over the frame of his glasses;

"Not really."

She nods, biting her lip with a shrug, "Can we talk?"

He nods immediately, shutting his screen off the instant she makes her request to stay completely focused on her;

"Of course Miss Romanoff."

The red-head smirks, sitting in the chair behind her;

"Thanks for letting me ramble the other night. I know I wasn't making too much sense."

He returns her facial expression, removing his glasses to bite at the ends;

"Honestly, it was nice just to hear you laugh."

She blushes over his remark, head bowed low the instant she makes contact with those perfect brown eyes, wishing her heart could stop beating so fast. She jumps, hearing Tony's mouth the second he enters;

"I have no idea what JARVIS is trying to tell me something about- Red! What are you doing here?"

Natasha shrugs, not minding the nickname he's given her for once;

"Just visiting."

Stark smirks, shifting his glance between the physicist and the girl in front of him;

"For how long? A week? A month?"

She closes her eyes, "Just for the day. I have to go back tonight."

Tony shrugs, heading to his own work area, "Well, it's nice to have you back. Have you seen Pepper yet?"

"No, not yet. I will though."

Bruce picks up on her uneasiness, overdue for some kind of venting session and preferably without any spectators. He tosses his glasses on the desk behind him, stating matter-of factly;

"So, Darcy says the leaves are just starting to change at Morning Side."

She huffs out a laugh, not sure if it's an offer for a walk through her favorite place in the area;

"Are they?"

"Have you been?"

"No. Not since I moved."

He smirks, making his offer a bit more obvious;

"Well, would you let me take you for a quick tour Miss Romanoff?"

Natasha smiles a bit more openly, remembering his first 'tour' through New York City and Harlem;

"I would like that, Dr. Banner."

Tony smirks quietly from behind his computer screen, covering his mouth when he realizes he can't hold back his smile.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Pepper sees the red-haired master assassin the same time Darcy and Jane do, moving too late for the SHIELD agent who jumps out of the elevator to 'attack' her friend. Natasha chuckles when Maria Hill lifts her off the floor;

"Romanoff! I missed you."

Darcy wraps her arms around the two of them, beating Jane by a half a second. Natasha rolls her eyes sarcastically when Thor wraps his arms around all of them, giving a gentle squeeze;

"The nerve of Foster to not inform me of a group embrace."

Darcy grinds her teeth, pinching her upper arm once they all separate. Natasha lowers her eyebrows;

"What was that for?!"

"You left without saying 'goodbye'."

She smirks, shrugging her shoulders when she makes her way towards the doctor who waits at the door patiently;

"Sorry Darcy."

Jane crosses her arms, eyes narrow with a smile on her face;

"And where are you going?"

Natasha shrugs before she leaves, walking out while Bruce holds the door open for her;

"I need a little fresh air. I'll see you guys later."

Maria rolls her eyes;

"Yeah, okay. Have fun."

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Bruce watches her through his peripheral vision, well aware of her unusually quiet nature and uncharacteristic blank stare while she sipped her coffee. Natasha holds the cup to her chin when she snickers out of no where, biting the plastic ends before she stealthy sneaks over to him. His heart jumps when he feels her touch the pocket of his jacket, just enough contact to steal his glasses and run. Banner lowers his head, eyes tilted upward when he struggles to hide his smirk, picking up the pace to catch up to her;

"Miss Romanoff..."

She sticks her tongue out, tossing her emptied cup into the trash when she slips his lenses on her face, just like she had done so many times before. He tilts his head, swallowing hard when he sees a smile on her face. She turns around, hands out in front of her;

"I can't even see out of these."

He huffs out a laugh, gently removing them from off her nose;

"Because they're not meant for you Natasha. You'll hurt your eyes if you keep this up."

She chuckles, snatching them back from him when she starts to clean his item with the end of her shirt;

"Well, I was referring to the scratches and scuff marks. You need to take better care of your glasses _Vrach_ Banner."

He scoffs with his hands shoved in his pockets. He missed the name she'd given him; Russian title or not it was personal coming from Natasha and he liked hearing her say it. He couldn't help but think if her father got his way, he'd keep his 'title' as a physicist, but he'd never hear it from a sick patient again without getting in trouble for it.

His heart stays burning, eyes and mind far more attentive and focused on those marks left on her upper neck. Legally licenced in medical or not, anyone could've figured out what did and did not belong there. Bruce can't help but smile when she parks herself on the lawn, tapping the empty spot next to her for him to do the same. Banner complies, breathing a gentle sigh while he runs a hand through his hair. He watches her close her eyes, eager to catch the breeze in her face and the wind in her hair, just like she always did.

Bruce lowers his head, trying to collect his thoughts. He was worried he'd ask the wrong questions or make her uncomfortable if he wasn't careful. He stays general, honest in his intentions. They're close enough for blatant honestly should the need arise;

"So, how are you doing Natasha? What's going on?"

She glances his way, mouth open before she lowers her head back down;

"I'm alright,' she checks her nails, 'I mean, I was...going to ask you the same thing."

He smirks, lowering his eyebrows just a little, "Why?"

Romanoff tilts her head sarcastically, "Bruce."

"I'm alright Natasha. Really."

"Well, Clint tells me otherwise. And in this instance I find it easier to believe him then I do you."

He shrugs with a sarcastic chuckle, "Well, that's comforting."

She chuckles after he does, "It should be. It means we care about you."

"It means you're nosey."

Natasha turns her upper body in his direction;

"No, me digging through your stuff without permission is 'nosey'."

He shakes his head, "I have nothing to hide from you Miss Romanoff you know everything."

"But- If something is bothering you, I want to know about it. I want you to tell me about it."

Bruce nods, eyes fixed on hers, "You too."

She sighs, eyes down when she swallows to clear her throat;

"Bruce, don't be mad at me for this, but I found that book on your desk...the one on abuse. That's, one of the reasons why I'm asking. I just want you to be okay."

He sighs, eyes fixed on her hazel green orbs. She shrugs nervously, misunderstanding his lack of a a response;

"I know you've been through a lot between your father and Betty-...Please don't get mad, I'm only saying this because I care about you. I want to help you _Vrach_, you're still the only one I trust with anything. I just hope you feel the same way about me."

Banner holds his head, huffing out a laugh when he covers his mouth and closes his eyes;

"Natasha...Natasha of course I do."

She leans forward, eyes wide and sympathetic when she wonders how badly she's hurt him herself;

"But...?"

He shakes his head, not sure how to approach the topic;

"But, I didn't start reading that book with myself in mind Miss Romanoff."

She shifts her focus, heart dropping when there's a silent pause. She lowers her head;

"I don't understand."

Bruce releases a heavy sigh, head tilted slightly when he keeps his hands on his knees. One hovers an inch off his leg, asking her permission before making any sort of physical contact;

"Can I?"

Natasha gives a nod, feeling him gently brush her hair from off her neck, removing his hand from off her as quickly as possible She lowers her eyebrows when he mumbles, eyes fixed on her bruises and open cuts;

"That's why."

"What about them?"

"Natasha, I'm worried about you."

Her cheeks flush a bright red, swallowing hard before she tries to brush it off sarcastically;

"What? You've never heard of 'love-bites'?"

He reestablishes eye contact she keeps breaking. A little less reserved about an issue he can't tolerate, not even commenting on the extent of her 'injuries' just yet;

"If they were given to you with your consent, I doubt you'd be trying to cover them."

Natasha grinds her teeth, shifting her weight uncomfortably;

"What happens between Al and I after hours is none of your business."

"When you have marks on your neck that look like the ones my mom carried to the grave, I think I have a right to be a little concerned."

She takes a deep breath, defensive when her eyes start to fill;

"How dare you compare him to that monster! Alexei is a kind person! You don't know him!

"I don't have to know him, I know what I see and I don't want it to get any worse-"

Romanoff huffs out a laugh, "I don't believe you. Are you jealous? Is that it?!"

"No I am not! Natasha it's not like that-"

"Then what is it?!"

He rolls his eyes, not prepared to put up with her defensive nature and cutting sarcasm;

"Miss Romanoff I'm just trying to look out for you. Can you please just listen to me?! Please. I'm asking for five minutes. What you do after that is up to you, because I swear I'd never force you or convince you to do anything. You're a grown woman you can make you're own decisions. Just...five minutes please."

She sighs, laying the side of her head against a tree with her eyes closed;

"I'm listening."

He sighs, keeping his eye contact no matter how badly his eyes are filling;

"Natasha, I don't want you to get hurt. I know you don't see it because you love him so much but Alexei does not sound like the kind, caring person you think he is-and before you get defensive just let me finish. Alright?"

"Okay."

"First of all, I saw those marks on the mission Natasha, and they look worse to me instead of better. And on the mission; When you came to me for that patch job on your leg, you wrinkled your nose when he started messing around with you. He didn't listen when you told him to stop and he didn't let go when you tried to pull away from him. You remember?"

She swallows heavy, arms wrapped around herself when she answers with a stern expression over her face;

"I remember. But that's just how he is Bruce. He's protective, he's passionate, and he loves me."

"I'm not saying- ...Last week you called me at 2:00 in the morning-"

Her eyes reopen, "I told you there was nothing wrong I just wanted to talk to you."

He sighs sympathetically, finally making eye contact with her. She swallows, uncomfortable with the brief pause;

"What?"

The doctor keeps his eyes tender and gentle, blood boiling on the inside;

"I think you ended that phone call a little later than you wanted to."

Her eyes widen nervously, "What are you talking about."

"Who was yelling for you Natasha; Ivan or Alex."

"Neither."

"Miss Romanoff-"

She closes her eyes, curling back up into her ball;

"Ivan. Al came downstairs when I though he was going to hit me-"

"He hit you...?!"

"No, I just thought- No, no one has ever hit me. Really Bruce, I think you're over-reacting. I know you have your mother's abuse on your mind but Al's nothing like your father was."

He closes his eyes, trying hard not to blow up;

"Natasha, he can't get even remotely close to that point. Does he drink?"

"Less then I do."

He shakes his head, letting that one go for another day;

"He doesn't raise his voice to you does he?"

She rolls her index finger over her knee, losing some of her defensive exterior. She knows he's only asking because he cares, loving him for being just as honest and sincere as the day she met him;

"Sometimes."

Bruce opens his mouth, closing it the instant he sees her hand quickly brush a stray tear from her cheek. She bites her cheek;

"He likes to tell me what to do. And forces me when I don't listen."

Natasha takes a deep breath, not used to being able to talk without being cut off;

"And, he can't stand my dog. Ivan too...I had sneak out to see you because, Ivan paid off the butler to keep me indoors. I'm not allowed to leave or go anywhere without one of them."

His eyes narrows, hating them even more than he did before;

"And, you still want go back?"

The russian lays her head against the tree, eyes closing;

"It's...I like Alexei okay, he just doesn't listen. I want to make it work Bruce. You understand, you remember how hard you tried with Betty."

He sighs, "Yeah but it didn't end well. I just don't want you to go through the same things."

Her lip quivers, breathing changing slightly. She lifts her eyes up trying to hide her tears. He contorts his mouth, eyes still soft and empathetic;

"Please talk to me Natasha."

"But Al isn't like that..."

"Regardless I don't want you to get hurt."

She tilts her head indesicively, rolling her eyes when she doesn't answer verbally. He nods, eyes low again;

"I'll always be here for you Miss Romanoff. And I want to help you. Do you trust me?"

"Implicitly."

"I care about you Natasha, and I don't like seeing you like this."

She sniffles, huffing out a laugh, "Is this payment for every time I dried your tears?"

He smirks, quickly brushing a tear from her cheek with his index finger;

"Natasha, I owe you so much it's not even funny."

Romanoff huffs out a laugh, leaving her fingers in the corner of her eyes to catch her tears. He sighs, wishing she'd open up a little more;

"Do you want to tell me anything else?"

She shakes her head, trying hard to compose herself;

"Not today,' she tries to smirk, 'But, you better get used to early morning phone calls _Vrach_. Cause, you're going to be getting a few of those."

He breathes a heavy sigh, not wanting her to misunderstand his earlier comment;

"Natasha, you can call me anytime you want. I don't care whether or not it's 2:00 in the morning."

She nods, "Thanks."

"Miss Romanoff, I know you're independent and secretive. Let's just say it like it is. But if or when you need me, I'm here for you. Alright?"

Natasha smirks, eyes reopening to connect with his;

"Thanks _Vrach_."

He narrows his focus, hearing her stomach go off;

"You hungry Natasha?"

She tries to muffle her noise with her arms, shrugging it off;

"No. I mean a little. I haven't eaten since last night."

He rolls his eyes over her not taking care of herself;

"Okay, come on."

Natasha stands up after he does, walking beside him with her arms crossed;

"Where are we going?"

He smirks, "Home. It only takes me a few minutes to make you a Raspberry Danish."

She huffs out a laugh;

"You don't have to."

"No, but I want to."

"Oh good. Because I've been wanting those so bad."

Natasha chuckles halfway through her remark, letting her head fall forward on his shoulder while she laughs. He shakes his head just to see her smile, missing her warm contact the instant she lifts her head upright.

All he could think of was that Alexei better shape up and start taking much better care of that red-head or it wasn't going to be pretty. It was desturbing to think that her father was letting this go on...He could not have possibly been that blind.


	13. You Hear My Voice

**_A/N: Thanks for all the kind words and reviews. You guys are the best. *hugs*_**

**_RFK22: Hulk is coming. ...LOL 'Ivan aka Satan.' That is brilliant._**

**_Nova Fearnewood: Nat will pick up on their motives. She starts to get her fight back in this chapter. _**

**_ecotiger: lol. Oh she will. Yaye for free time! Thank you so much for reviewing. _**

**_Irishbrneyes: It's totally fine. RL is completely time-consuming, believe me I understand. Not to spoil anything, but that dog is not giong to die. He's too cute and he's very important. lol. Yes, I have told mommy to stop doing that. I love your story. You should write a book about you and your husband. I'd read it. You have like, the perfect little family. :) And thank you so much for your story as well as personal support. Hope all is well. :) _**

**_Bumblebey: Just got your review. :D Thanks so much. _**

**_Just wanted to thank all my other silent readers and I hope you enjoy the update. :)_**

* * *

"I'll uh, assume that you want me to call you when I get home?"

Bruce nods over her comment, taking the infant from her arms as she gently hands her over. Antonia squirms a little when she's given to someone else, quick to curl up and fall asleep against Banner's heartbeat like she had been doing from day one. Natasha shakes her head after she settles down, giving Bruce a look when he follows her;

"Will you settle down so that poor baby can sleep?"

He smirks, "Miss Romanoff, just let me walk you to the door okay?"

Natasha rolls her eyes sarcastically, smirk on her face when she purposely walks two steps ahead of him. He opens his mouth even though he's still collecting his thoughts;

"So, Ivan and Alexei are gone for the week?"

She glances over her shoulder;

"If you show up at my place, our lovely butler will report it right back to Ivan."

"And you're afraid of him..."

Romanoff turns her body around, hand on the side of the door frame while she watches him jump. Her eyes narrow;

"I'm not 'afraid', _Vrach_. I'm, more worried he might try to do something to you. At Ivan's orders...you know."

He shakes his head, knowing she had no idea what Ivan was already in the middle of;

"I'm really not afraid of him Natasha. I've had worse."

She rolls her tongue over her cheek, picking up that nervous habit from him;

"You never told me what that quarrel was about. I thought we weren't going to have any more secrets between us Dr. Banner."

He blushes, refocusing on the baby in his arms, "Well, that was, before-"

"Regardless Bruce. I still want you to talk to me and confide in me. I still consider you my closest companion it's just different that's all."

He smirks, "Well for the record, you said it not me."

"Well, you proved it. You're the one who showed up at my door first; multiple times. And not for nothing but something tells me this is the most you've technically opened up to anybody since I've been gone."

"_Well_, I'm not the one '_technically'_ calling at two o'clock in the morning."

Her lips curve upward no matter how hard she tries to hide it;

"No, but you were the one who _'technically' _tried to throw rocks at my window."

"Not to chase you out Miss Romanoff but shouldn't you _technically_ be heading home right about now?"

She huffs out a laugh, "_Technically_. Before Mr. Karev files a complaint."

"Goodnight Natasha."

The red-head stands upright, awkwardly looking him over when she answers back with a polite smile on her face;

"Goodnight."

She brushes her hair behind her ear, feeling strange just to leave him standing there with no hug or kiss goodbye. Natasha shrugs, not sure how to handle his tender look while she prays her trembling isn't that obvious to him;

"Thanks for listening, before. It helps."

He leans his head against the door frame, wishing he could find some way to fix everything for her;

"You can call me and talk to me whenever you want. Just promise me you won't them push you around so much. Okay?"

She nods almost sarcastically, "Okay. Thank you."

"You're welcome. You're a fighter Miss Romanoff, don't be afraid to stand up for yourself."

"I'm not afraid _Vrach_. And thank you...I'll see you soon I'm sure."

He nods. She shrugs with a chuckle;

"Just give me a heads up so I can be a proper hostess."

He smirks, "Either that or I pick you up and we run off to Morning Side for the afternoon. Bring the dog out for a run."

Natasha can't help but chuckle, "I should. Goodnight Bruce."

"Goodnight Natasha. Be careful."

She walks outside towards her car, calling back to him with her keys in her hand;

"Take care of yourself please_._"

"You too. Don't be so afraid to open your mouth Miss Romanoff."

Natasha bites her lower lip, when she stands at her car still wanting to tell him so much more;

"I'll call you _Vrach_."

He nods,

"Promise me?"

"I will. I promise."

He gives her a gentle smile before she lowers her head and starts her car. She checks her mirrors, lingering in her current parking space long enough to compose herself and drive home. She regrets checking her rear-view mirror...

_-She missed those big brown eyes._

. . . . . . . . . . .

"Where is that baby?"

Pepper smirks, hands on her hips when her child starts to call for her mother. Bruce chuckles, clearly not handing her over fast enough;

"You little fusspot."

Her mom is quick to scoop her up, planting a big kiss on her cheek. Her pitch changes when she takes to her daughter, still holding her close;

"Did you behave little baby of mine."

Bruce smirks, giving her tiny back a quick rub before he starts to walk off. He jumps, feeling someone hit his arm just hard enough for him to feel it. He rolls his eyes when he realizes it's Tony, leaning his back against the wall to listen to him rant and carry on;

"Pep, I want some time with my little princess too you know."

She sticks her tongue out, playfully cuddling her child a little tighter while she sings to her softly;

_"From your head, down to your toes. You're not much goodness knows."_

The engineer rolls his eyes settling down at the piano across from the coach where Pepper recently made herself comfortable, picking up in her song right where she left off;

_"But you're so precious to me, sweet as can be, baby of mine."_

Tony smirks sarcastically, watching her big eyes fix on his while he plays the piano;

"She likes her daddy better."

Pepper smirks, leaning forward when he does to rub her nose against his. Tony giggles first, stealthy reaching his arms down to steal the baby from her. She laughs, throwing her head back when he sets her on his lap;

"Alright Antonia, you're going to play the piano for mommy."

She pulls herself off the coach, sitting beside her husband and child on the piano bench;

"And what is, '_Antonia'_, going to play?"

He smirks, "A song _I've_ been singing to her since she was born, 'Forever Young'. For the record, the bond between daddy and daughter is a lot stronger."

She nudges him, "Oh! You're just jealous she likes me better."

_"_Come on Pep; _Do to others as you'd have done to you. Be courageous and be brave, and in my heart you'll always stay, forever young."_

Bruce shakes his head with a smile before quietly sneaking over towards the stairs, eager to hide in his room and get a call from Natasha just to make sure she had gotten home alright.

The doctor shuts his door as soon as he can, image of Natasha's perfect hazel eyes burning in his mind while he enters is quiet living space, gut twisting when he opens his drawer to search for a painkiller to cure a migraine. He makes a face over the photograph left on top of his neat pile, flipping it face down after giving it a quick look. His fingers subconsciously dig through his stack, breathing changing when he sees his life flash before his eyes. He slams his drawer shut, sick and tired of having everyone and everything he's ever loved taken away from him. His job, his mother, Betty, his unborn children. 'Losing' Natasha wouldn't have hurt so bad if he at least knew she was safe. And for Ivan to report him for taking care of people and helping humanity was just downright obnoxious.

He sighs, falling back onto his mattress with his hands over his face and his head on his pillow. His bed always felt too big for one person, and sleeping in the middle was a concept he didn't understand always one side of the bed even before Natasha came into the picture. It wasn't soothing to constantly see an empty space behind him, almost tempting to start sleeping on the floor or on the coach in the common room if it would help his nightmares and constant heartache.

He felt like crying for Romanoff, drained and out of ideas or ways to help her or anyone else for that matter. She was too headstrong to be told she was wrong, in too much shock to thing Alexei would be anything less than caring and considerate. Banner rubs at his forehead, stomach in knots for her sake. He loved her too much to let her struggle on her own and he wasn't about to. Natasha was a tough young lady who didn't 'suffer fools', but he knew she needed to open her eyes and _see_ it for herself in order for her to do something about it. Bruce just hoped it wouldn't take a literal knock over her head to wake her up. He'd kill both her father and her husband if either one of them struck her. As it was they were pushing it.

Bruce curls up tighter, picking up on her light perfume now that his head is on his pillow. His eyes close, feeling a lump in his throat and a stabbing sort of pain in his chest and stomach the more he thinks about her and her troubles, images of his mother burning in the back of his mind.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Romanoff struggles to sneak through the door, starting to tip-toe up the stairs. A smile spreads over her face when her dog nuzzles her knee, crying for her affection. Natasha gets down to his level which doesn't take much for her large friend, running her hands down his head and under his chin;

"How's my good boy? Guess what? I saw your daddy today. He misses you honey. Maybe we'll see him soon"

He picks his nose up, nuzzling her cheek before giving her a big lick. She squirms, tickled by his kiss. Her hand reaches into her pocket when she jumps up to get him to follow her up to her room;

"Come on big boy, you ready for bed?"

The shepherd yawns in between his running, scratching at the door when she doesn't open it fast enough;

"Alright baby, alright."

Her eyes shift downward, closing the door behind her before she dials her phone. Her heart jumps when he picks up, pacing around her room with the cellular on her shoulder and under her chin;

"Hi Bruce, I'm home."

_"Oh good. You got home quick."_

"Yep. Lex just curled up on my side of the bed. Thanks for letting me ramble."

_"Anytime."_

"Careful, I might take you up on that."

_"Please do."_

She brushes the hair from her face;

"So, what are your plans for this evening?"

Natasha smirks when she hears him laugh on the other end;

_"I don't know. I'm probably just going to bed."_

"No reading? Playing in the lab for hours?"

_"No, not tonight."_

"Did you take anything for your headache?"

_"Yeah, but it's not doing too much for me."_

"I'm sorry Doc."

_"No, it's fine. I'm fine. I'm just going to sleep it off. I'll see you soon?"_

She waits, mouth contorted;

-_I hope_;

"Yeah. Definitely. I hope you're feeling better Bruce."

_"You too Natasha."_

"Have a good night."

"_You too Natasha."_

"Can I call you tomorrow?"

_"Of course Miss Romanoff."_

"Thanks _Vrach_."

_"Anytime Natasha."_

She whispers, smile on her face, "Bye."

Natasha shuts it off quick, hiding her face in her open hands. She feels more lonely when Bruce isn't around, not appreciating how empty and cold her room feels without her _Vrach_ there to laugh with and curl up next to.

She lifts her phone back up, scrolling through her pictures to find that image from Malibu.

"Mrs. Shostakova!"

Natasha takes her fighting stance, an immediate response whenever she feels threatened or startled. She releases a heavy sigh when she sees the young hired help, not having much affiliation with the older of the two girls;

"Alina right?"

The girl nods, disheveled with her eyes narrow when she crosses her arms;

"Yes. Where were you?"

Natasha shrugs, initially ready to throw her out of the room before she chooses a different tactic. Romanoff had enough 'enemies' in the house and she certainly did not need any trouble from a 16 year old;

"Tell me where you were first Missy."

She girl jump, cheeks flushing pink;

"Nowhere."

Natasha smirks, crossing her own arms;

"Why were you on my balcony?"

She stutters, arms dropping slowly;

"I- Well...I..."

"I don't bite Alina, just tell me."

The girl widens her eyes, nervously tugging at her fingers;

"I came in your room to clean while Alisa entertained Alex. But...I got a phone call so I answered it, and, then well...I just lost track of time I guess. And then Mama and Papa came home...and after they went to bed I got a phone call...I had to make sure Alisa was in bed before I went out on the balcony to talk to...them...?"

Natasha can't help but smirk;

"'_Them'_? Or '_him'_?"

The girl takes a step forward, almost shaking;

"Mrs. Shostakova please. You wouldn't tell Papa!"

Romanoff smiles a little wider, sitting at the edge of her bed before the girl does the same, slightly calmer when she hears Natasha huff out a laugh;

"No. I won't tell your father."

"Oh thank you ma'am."

She shoves her hands under her knees, trying to warm them up, "So what's his name?"

"Promise you won't tell?"

"I promise."

Alina lowers her head, blushing a little more, "Peter."

"Oh I see."

She keeps her focus low;

"Who were you talking to on the phone Mrs. Shostakova?"

Natasha shrugs, figuring fair is fair;

"A friend of mine. I went to visit him this afternoon."

"I figured as much. What's his name if you don't mind me asking."

"Bruce."

Alina widens her eyes, huffing out a laugh, "Bruce? Bruce Banner? He is your friend?"

Romanoff shrugs slowly, "Yes. Why?"

The girl keeps her eyes wide;

"He's that...scientist. The one that turns into the green monster!"

"Well, he's not a monster, he's, very gentle and kind."

Alina keeps her focus, enough to cause Natasha to shift a little. The girl lowers her eyebrows;

"What is your maiden name?"

"Romanoff...Romanova if you prefer-"

She jumps, hearing her closet door open before the other sister jumps out with a smile on her face;

"I knew it! I knew you were Black Widow but Alina didn't believe me! Are you a spy?! Do you go on missions?! Are you a master assassin?! Can I see your uniform?! Do you work with Captain America?! Can I meet him and Iron Man one day?! Was Loki really creepy?! Does Thor really talk using large words?! Have you ever been to Asgard?! Do you have a secret identity?! I swear I won't tell anyone!"

Natasha whips her head around to calm Alex from his growling, eager to protect his master when he realizes she's overwhelmed;

"Calm down Alex, it's okay."

Alina turns her upper body to face the red-head with her sister on her knees, eyes fixed on the assassin. Natasha smiles;

"Yes, its a secret identity and I'd prefer to keep this between the three of us."

The older sibling looks at her sister;

"How long have you been in that closet?"

Alisa blushes, looking at Natasha for help. Romanoff, shakes her head;

"It doesn't matter. What happens in this room stays in this room. Are we all in agreement?"

They nod, still in complete awe. She sighs;

"Okay then. Yes I am Natasha Romanoff, Black Widow. And I'd prefer it if you just called me Natasha."

"You hide really well Miss Natasha."

She lowers her eyebrows, "Oh. Thanks."

"And Alisa is serious about meeting Iron Man. She's obsessed."

The girl chuckles, "I am not!"

"Well, personally I'd like to meet Hawkeye."

Alisa chuckles, sitting up with big eyes;

"Show me something Miss Natasha? Please?"

She smirks, "Show you what?"

"A trick or something. You're all tough and cool. I wish I was all agile and flexible like you."

Alina laughs, pushing her sister sarcastically;

"You are the most inflexible person who ever walked the planet. And you're afraid of every little thing. I'd pay big money to see you fight anyone."

"Well, maybe Miss Natasha can help me. But, I am afraid of a lot of things. Snakes and spiders really scare me. No offense Miss Natasha."

Romanoff shakes her head, getting a kick out of the little fan-base she didn't know she had;

"For the most part I see fear as a weakness, but it's not _always_ wrong to be afraid Alisa. Whenever I was afraid of something, my goal was and is always to conquer those fears."

"How?"

Natasha leans back on her hands, "Well, it depends on the situation, but you expose yourself to it. Like, I used to be scared stiff of the hulk in all honesty."

"What changed your mind?"

"I got to know him, why he is the way he is. I learned what makes him tick. He's still a mystery to me but I have more of a handle on him these days. And he's not the monster people say he is."

Alisa shivers, "He scares me."

Alina chuckles, "You realize the man you opened the door for this morning is the hulk."

Her sister shrugs, "I-...Well I know now. And he's nice as a human."

Natasha tilts her head, "Was he that scary Alisa?"

"Um, no not really."

"Were you afraid of him?"

"No, it's just when he changes and gets all big and green. He's mean like that."

Romanof contorts her mouth, "Have you ever met the hulk personally?"

"No."

"How can you describe someone you don't know for yourself? You can't always believe what other say about them. Especially if they themselves don't know the person either."

She smiles, "Do you like him Miss Natasha?"

The red-head throws her head back, watching how she answers, "I do. We're good friends."

Alina chuckles, crossing her arms;

"Uh huh. I think you find him attractive."

She flushes a bright red, "Why not? You don't think he's attractive?"

"I think he's good-looking. I wouldn't be able to pay attention in class if he was my teacher. But you know what I mean."

Natasha shakes her head, unable to look her in the eye;

"Alina, I'm a married woman."

"Still, something tells me you'd rather be with _Vrach _Banner then that big creepy guy that orders us around."

The red-head sighs, lowering her head, "Alexei is just a little rough around the edges..."

"That wasn't my question Miss Natasha. Admit it, you really don't think of Alexei the same way."

"I- Well...You can't expect any two people to be the same."

Alisa covers her mouth, "You can tell us Miss Natasha. We're friends now. And what happens in here stays in here remember? We won't tell. We promise."

Alina lowers her eyebrows, "Alexei seems so weird. He's always yelling."

Her sister tilts her head, "Do you love Bruce more?"

"Because I don't see how you could be happy with Alexei. He seems so hurtful."

Romanoff releases a heavy sigh;

"You girls are too young for this sort of conversation-"

The older sister chuckles, "I'm sixteen!"

"Yeah and I'm twelve! And a half! Well...almost the half part..."

Alina laughs after Natasha does, nudging her little sister;

"You are embarrassing."

the assassin checks her clock, eyes wide when she stands up;

"Oh my gosh girls, it's getting late. You need to get to bed."

Alisa jumps up first;

"Can we talk more tomorrow Miss Natasha? Please?"

She smirks, "Of course."

"And then tomorrow you can show me a trick?"

"Well, we'll see."

The girl smiles, petting the dog before running to the door;

"Goodnight Alex. Goodnight Miss Natasha. Come on Sister!"

Alina nods, turning towards Romanoff;

"Thanks for listening to me, and for making me tell you about Peter. It feels good not to have a secret like that anymore."

Natasha gives her a wink;

"We'll talk Alina."

"Thanks Miss Natasha. Have a goodnight."

"You too. And don't work so hard tomorrow. Just go school, come home and relax. Alright?"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Darcy claps her hands, providing her own percussion on tables and chairs while she sings along with her iPod;

_"If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy? If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?"_

Steve jumps when he enters the room, mortified by the noise;

"You call this music?"

She nods, "Yes...? Obviously. That is what an iPod is for grandpa."

Tony chokes on his up of coffee, smirk on his face when he debates on spitting it into his cup. He changes his mind, sarcastically aiming it across the table at his friend. Bruce ducks behind his book, shaking his head with a smirk when Tony starts to laugh hysterically. Banner lifts his eyebrows;

"There is something wrong with you."

Darcy smirks, contorting her mouth;

"What took you so long Doc?"

Steve rolls his eyes, sighing when Stark gets up just to poke his friend in the side. Bruce pulls away, not in the mood for antics involving contact;

"Tony..."

He smirks, ready to run if the need should arise;

"Brucey..."

"Sorry but I really don't want to be bothered right now."

"I noticed. Angry?"

"Just tired."

Stark laugh, poking his other side to get him to flinch;

"Wake up."

He sighs, pulling as far as he can without falling off the chair;

"Please stop. Tony..."

Rogers takes a step towards the two of them, tempted to grab Tony and throw him to the ground;

"You need to leave him alone."

The engineer pulls away, hands lifted in surrender;

"Alright alright."

Banner crosses his arms when his book is taken from him, watching Tony amuse himself with a 'language' he wouldn't completely understand. He smirks when his friend opens his mouth;

"It's too early for this. I don't the think the coffee's kicked in yet."

Bruce shakes his head, quick to reach into his pocket and answer his buzzing cellular. Tony contorts his mouth;

"Oh, we leave it on now huh?"

He makes a face before answering, watching Stark's eyebrows lift up suspiciously when he hears the voice on the other end;

"Tasha huh? Hi Little Red."

Bruce tightens his lower lip, pushing his chair back to get up and head into another room. Tony watches his friend through his peripheral when he mumbles;

_"I wonder what would happen if you say what you wanna say and let the words fall out, honestly, I wanna see you be brave."_

Bruce gives him a nasty stare-down before shutting the door behind him. Darcy chuckles, searching through her iPod for the Sara Bareilles song while Tony just smirks, tip-toeing to the door before he keeps antagonizing with the help of Miss Lewis;

"_With what you wanna say, and let the words fall out. I wanna see you be brave!" _

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"My point is that I want Natalia off the team. She doesn't have time for it anymore now that Alexei is back. And it's not far to you to be counting on her."

Fury gives Ivan a look, busy behind his desk with a stack of papers piled up in front of him;

"And you think I should, fire her because of this."

"No, not fire her. She's perfectly fine doing solo missions or ones with Alexei but I think the stress of being on a team and those sort of assignments would be too much for her right now."

He sighs, hovering his fingers over his keyboard;

"And you talked to her about this?"

Ivan nods, practically crossing his fingers on his lap;

"Yes. She agrees. It was her idea."

The director breathes a heavy sigh, too tired to argue or interrogate any further;

"I'll do it. I don't like it but if that's what she wants-"

"Oh it is."

Fury shakes his head, "Okay. Anything else Petrovich?"

"Not for tonight. Have a good evening."

"You too. So 7:00 tomorrow. Tell Alexei."

"I will."

Ivan can't help but smirk, shutting the door behind him as he exits. Shostakov lowers his eyebrows, pacing in the room where Ivan enters next. He mumbles, eyes wide and uncomfortable;

"Why are you smiling?"

Ivan covers his mouth, releasing a chuckle before sitting down in a chair within their quarters. Alexei follow him, crossing his arms when he narrows his focus;

"Ivan...? I'm not kidding."

The elder Russian swipes at his tablet, opening his latest 'project' with a list of numbers all originating from New Mexico;

"You really want to know?"

Alexei nods, eyebrows lifted, "Yes."

He releases another chuckle;

"I just took Natalia off the team."

"What?!"

He narrows his focus, "She was never interested in the 'team' anyway. The only member she cared about working along side was Banner. And she won't miss it trust me. She's always done better solo."

"Ivan! You- _ugh_...She's not-We can't take everything from her-"

"I'm not taking _everything_, I'm taking away whatever she has left of Banner so you can move on with your life."

He rolls his eyes, "You told me this wasn't going to be a big deal."

"It's almost over Alexei trust me. And once he's gone, we'll throw her back on the team okay? Feel better?"

Shostakov lifts his shoulders into a shrug;

"I guess. But she's going to freak out."

"She's not going to know. She just won't get team calls anymore, which gives you more time with her."

He scoffs, "More time to hear her rant about the damn Doc."

Ivan lifts a hand, "I'll take care of the 'damn Doc', you just worry about you and Natalia. And giving me grand-kids."

Alexei smirks, taking out his phone;

"Oh yes Sir."

"I love how obedient you are. You're like a military man; You'd take orders well."

"Thanks. Not to cut you off or anything but I'm going to call my wife."

"You miss her?"

"You have no idea."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Natasha groans from her bed, eyes barely open when she sees her phone glowing. Romanoff forces herself to sit up and answer, not once checking the caller I.D;

"Are you alright?"

She cringes when she hears her husband on the other end, never expecting him to call. She rolls her eyes, wishing she let him talk to the voicemail. Her inital tone full of care, worry, and concern switches to aggrivation right after she hears his voice;

_"Not without you baby. What are you doing?"_

"I'm sleeping Alexei, I'm tired."

_"Poor thing. What did you do today?"_

She shrugs, eyes closing when she looks at the clock in pure exhaustion;

"Played with my dog...What's it to you?! Really Al!"

_"Don't snap at me, I'm just asking."_

"I'm tired, I'm cranky, and I just want to go to sleep."

_"Well you're awake now so you can talk to me for five minutes."_

She clenches her teeth, "Three minutes."

_"Four. Are you alone?"_

Natasha lifts her eyebrows, eyes fixed on the clock;

"No, I'm partying in a room with 40 other people, hear the DJ?"

_"Enough with the sarcasm Tash, it's annoying."_

"Well what do you expect me to come out with at 3 in the morning? I can't think or talk logically!"

_"Did you take a pill tonight?"_

She closes her eyes, tone completely sarcastic;

"What pill?"

_"For your infertility."_

She rolls her eyes, knowing she never even opened the bottle;

"Yep."

_"You're not convincing me."_

"Yep."

_"Tash..."_

"What."

_"Knock it off. Tomorrow I want you to ask Mr. or Mrs. Karev to take you to start that treatment alright? I already called them about it and either one can take you."_

She rolls her tongue over her cheek, counting down the seconds she has left for her three minute phone call;

"I can't go tomorrow."

_"Yeah you can."_

"No, I can't."

_"It's not like you have plans."_

"Well, I do."

_"You didn't ask me-"_

"I don't have to 'ask' Alexei."

_"Don't be so stubborn!"_

"Don't be so demanding and controlling."

_"Babe, what's wrong."_

"Nothing's wrong-"

_"Then why are you acting like this?!"_

She shrugs, "Irritability is a possible side-effect from those meds you know."

_"Tash. Come on. You know I love you."_

Natasha tilts her head;

"Really? Because I can't remember the last time you used that particular phrase. Or even demonstrated it at the very least."

_"Baby...!"_

"Goodnight."

_"Tash...don't-!"_

Romanoff clicks her phone off ending the conversation at exactly three minutes. She smirks, feeling a little more confident in herself and much more spirited. She tosses the device onto her night-stand, shamelessly curling up right in the middle of the bed with her dog at her feet.


End file.
